With Angel's Wings
by Angel in the Police Box
Summary: Dean Winchester is hiding something and her brother Sam can't seem to figure it out. He could ask Castiel, if the angel wasn't acting so weird. Fem!Dean AU
1. Chapter 1

Castiel stood in the middle of the rundown hotel room, waiting for Dean to emerge from the bathroom. Normally he would just appear wherever she was, but after the last unfortunate visit he decided that his current position was much safer.

He listened as she hummed one of her favorite songs, identifying it as Metallica. Still humming, she walked out of the bathroom wearing her usual tight fitting jeans and a black bra. Sensing his eyes on her, Dean glanced up and gasped, grabbing a shirt off her bed.

"Dammit Cas!" she scowled, holding the shirt to her chest, "Quit doing that!"

"I thought you did not approve of me appearing in the bathroom. This is not the bathroom," he defended himself.

"Yeah, well…" she softened, "What's wrong?"

He tried to ignore the way her arms lowered while waiting for him to answer, slowly revealing more of her chest. "Nothing is… wrong…" he mumbled vaguely.

"Cas," she frowned, somehow making his name sound like an order.

Despite her annoyance, he continued to avoid her gaze, acting as if he found the wallpaper incredibly interesting. Dean finally realized what was making him so uncomfortable and slipped on her shirt, leaving a few more buttons than necessary undone.

"I was checking in," he sighed, finally meeting her gaze.

"Checking up on us? Really Cas? That's sweet…" she tried to hide her amusement.

"It isn't funny, Dean," he growled, "You draw danger like a magnet."

"Thanks for your concern," she rolled her eyes, "But we're fine." She crossed the room and grabbed a glass bottle, twisting off the lid and pouring herself a drink.

"Then why do you need that?" the angel argued, taking the glass from her.

"Because I like it," she huffed, reaching out a hand.

Eyeing her carefully, he swallowed the whiskey before handing her the empty glass.

"Enjoy that, did ya?" she scowled, taking the glass and pouring another drink.

Cas watched as she lifted the glass to her lips and ignored the strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. "You shouldn't consume such quantities of alcohol," he warned, "It is detrimental to your health."

"This from a guy who drank a liquor store," she rolled her eyes. "Being a hunter is bad for my health. This won't make a difference."

"Dean, I think I know what we're dealing with!" Sam called, the door swinging shut behind him. "What's with your shirt?"

"Just a little something for our resident angel to look at," she smirked, swallowing another shot of whiskey.

"I'm sure he isn't interested," Sam snickered, dodging the pillow that was thrown at his head. "Hey, Cas, what's up?"

"Hello, Sam," the angel nodded in greeting. "As I informed Dean, nothing is… up," he frowned at the strangeness of the human's expression and continued, "I was just verifying your well-being."

"He was worried, don't let him fool ya," Dean grinned, winking at the pouting angel.

"I simply wanted to be sure nothing had killed you… again."

"Thanks Cas, we're fine," Sam assured him, "Right, Dean?"

Dean remained silent, staring at the floor in front of her. The two men turned to her and she jumped as if she had just noticed them. "Yeah," she offered them a fake smile, "Always."

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Dean?" Sam whispered to his sister. "There are a lot of them."

"I'm sure, Sammy! Now shut it!" She poked her head up and over a stack of wooden pallets, surveying the scene before them. Vampires. At least twenty of them, all sleeping. "I can kill most of them before they even know I'm there."

"Dean, that's a lot for you to take on alone," Sam argued, "Maybe I should…"

"No! You need to untie those little girls and get them out of here," she ordered. "I'm a big girl, Sam. I can handle this."

"Alright," he sighed, "Whenever you're ready."

Satisfied, Dean drew her machete. She made her way closer to the sleeping monsters, staying behind cover as often as possible. Sam took off in the opposite direction, his destination the two young girls tied to a support beam of the crumbling building. He began to run when the shouts rang out, closely followed by three distinct _thumps_. _You better stay alive, Dean, _he half ordered, half prayed. Reaching the children, he began working on untying them.

As he worked, Dean hacked her way through the nest of vampires. Dodging teeth and limbs, she beheaded everything in sight. No longer thinking, only acting on instinct. She felt more alive than she had in weeks. She had downed nineteen of the leeches and the only one remaining was crouched in front of her, teeth bared. "Man, you are one ugly son of a bitch, you know that?" she taunted him.

"And what are you?" the vampire sneered, "Nothing more than a pathetic human. You may kill us, but there will always be more. Something will always be hiding in the shadows, chasing you down. You dare to call yourselves hunters? You are nothing but prey."

Dean lashed out and struck the vampire with her blade, his head separating from his shoulders and tumbling to the floor. "I'm human, all right," she smirked, "The pathetic human who ganked your ass."

"Dean, behind you!" Sam shouted, too far away to be of any help.

She spun quickly, but not fast enough. There was one more vampire who had not been there moments before. Probably a lookout they had missed. The girl was small and agile, leaping towards Dean before she could block her. _Cas!_ She cried out silently, wishing her angel had stuck around after all. Sure she had teased him about checking in, but she sure as hell could use him about now.

Pain ripped through her arm and she screamed, falling back against something hard and metal. Her head struck the object and stars exploded across her vision. "Dean!" a rough, gravelly voice called out her name.

Dean tried to answer the voice, blinking away the stars. The only thing she could see were two bright blue spheres before her. The sight comforted her and she stared into their depths, drifting towards sleep.

"You have to stay awake," the voice ordered her.

She frowned at that, wanting nothing more than to sink into a deep sleep. Protected by the bluer than blue eyes watching over her. Something brushed up against her upper thigh, but she was too tired to be concerned by it.

"How is she?" another voice asked.

Dean recognized this voice too. It drew her away from her slumber just a little, her need to protect the man whom the voice belonged overpowering the instinct to sleep. The eyes disappeared for a moment and she was shocked a bit more awake. Other things were brought to her attention, the pain in her head, in her arm. Most annoying though was the wetness on her arm, expanding rapidly and soaking her jacket. She let out an involuntary whimper, seeking the warmth only one person could bring her. Seeking the eyes of her angel.

* * *

Castiel beheaded the creature that had attacked Dean, throwing its lifeless body across the warehouse in anger. Taking a deep breath, he knelt before the hunter, trying to assess her condition. The vampire had bitten her arm, tearing a deep gash in her flesh that was now bleeding profusely. "Dean, can you hear me?" he asked worriedly, taking her face in his hands and searching her eyes for any sign of a concussion.

"Dean, you have to stay awake," Cas begged her, digging in her jeans pocket for the keys to the Impala.

"Cas, how is she?" Sam hurried over to them, having delivered the girls to safety.

"Not good," the angel answered gruffly, throwing him the keys. "I'm taking her back to your hotel room. You can drive yourself."

"Got it," Sam agreed, trusting the angel's decision. If he was that worried about Dean, her life must be in danger.

Dean let out a whimper and Cas felt a strange tightening in his chest. "I will protect you, Dean," he promised, sliding an arm under her legs and back. He stood and unfolded his wings.

* * *

Cas set Dean down on her bed in the hotel room she shared with her brother. Careful not to hit her head, he laid her down on a pillow and began to heal her injuries. He brushed his fingers along her forehead and the wound on her arm disappeared. The head trauma wasn't as obvious, but he knew that was healed as well. Sitting on the bed next to her, he ran his thumb across her cheekbone gently. "How do you always end up injuring yourself?" he asked her quietly.

She stirred slightly, taking a deep breath and leaning into his touch. Smiling to himself, he pressed his palm against her cheek. "Cas," she sighed.

"I'm here, Dean," he answered her, taking one of her hands in his.

She slowly opened her eyes, bright green and clear. He studied them closely, looking for any sign that her concussion remained. "Cas?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Hello, Dean." She smiled at his use of his usual greeting and tried to sit up. "Don't," he warned, leaning forward and pressing her shoulders back down. "You are still recovering."

"Cas how is… what are you doing?" Sam paused in the doorway.

Dean glanced up at her younger brother and imagined what he saw. Her laying on the bed, Cas leaning over her, their faces inches apart… She turned her face back to the angel and blushed fiercely.

"Is everything alright?" Cas asked, his eyes filled with concern.

"Fine… it's nothing…" she muttered, staring at her hands.

"I'm glad," Cas nodded, standing to leave.

"Wait!" she cried, reaching out and grabbing the sleeve of his trench coat. She ignored Sam's bewildered stare and met Cas' questioning gaze. _What do I want? Why did I stop him? _"Uh… thanks for… you know…"

"Of course, Dean," Cas smiled gently, "You are very welcome."

He disappeared from the room and Dean leaned back on the bed, trying to figure out why she felt so… lonely.


	2. Chapter 2

Since the apocalypse was not going to happen as long as Michael and Lucifer were in the cage, Raphael had decided to take over command of the heavenly host. In order to maintain control over the angels, he would need to crush any opposition of his reign. Being that he was not a fan of Castiel and the Winchester's involvement in stopping the apocalypse, he had decided to punish them as well. Starting with his foolish brother. Castiel had been fighting Raphael's underlings for a while, but he wasn't expecting the ambush of four of the archangel's best fighters.

"Castiel, it's been awhile," his brother sneered, angel blade in hand.

"Brothers, sister," Cas acknowledged them, nodding.

"What have you done, Castiel?" his sister scowled, "Working with humans, against us. How you have fallen…"

"I do not regret being involved with the Winchesters," Cas disagreed, "We could learn much from them."

"Then you shall die," she smirked, "As will your pets."

"I will not let you harm them," Cas growled dangerously, his angel blade slipping out of the sleeve of his trench coat.

His brothers and sister leapt forward as one, moving with deadly grace and precision. He dodged and parried, somehow holding off the older angels. The first opportunity came when one of his brothers reacted to his feint, leaving his right side open. Castiel reacted, sinking his blade deep into his brother's chest. Noticing he was momentarily defenseless, his sister stepped forward. Without bothering to remove his own blade from his felled sibling, Castiel shoved his brother's limp body at her, stealing the angel's blade as he did.

Without hesitation, he stabbed another of his brothers as the angel attempted to do the same to him, leaving only two. "This could end now," Castiel warned them, praying they would reconsider.

"It will end now," his sister sneered. She lunged forward and Castiel sighed, swiftly ending his remaining brother and sister in a matter of moments. He stepped back, surveying the damage. Four angels lay on the ground before him, the floor blackened in the shape of their wings.

* * *

Dean stretched her arms over her head and yawned, a posture she knew would show off her best assets. She arched her back, deepening the stretch and earning a few wolf whistles from the patrons still inside the bar. A mischievous smile crossed her lips as she considered making someone's night. With a defeated sigh, she pushed away the thought. She was on a job after all.

She shot her admirers a lazy smile and stumbled out of the bar, adding an exaggerated swing to her hips for good measure. Of course, she wasn't actually drunk. Four glasses of the girliest sounding drinks on the menu weren't even enough to catch her attention on a good day. Keeping up the act, she staggered into the parking lot and fumbled with her keys. _As if I would ever drive the Impala this wasted, _she smirked to herself, _drunk or not, that's my baby we're talking about. _

Dean had been doing this sort of thing a lot lately. Ever since Cas had pulled her out of the pit, she had been using her newfound… status… to appeal to monsters that went for that sort of thing. Sam didn't approve, but he couldn't disagree that it made hunting these things way easier.

The two of them had been chasing down something that had been taking young girls in this small Colorado town over the past two months. In that time six girls had gone missing, and they had narrowed it down to a few suspects. Dean's fingers trailed over the silver blade tucked into the sash of her dress. She may have convinced Sammy that being bait was a necessary part of the job, but that didn't mean she was comfortable wearing this frilly crap. She wore a tight pink dress that hugged every curve of her body as it trailed down over her hips and ended abruptly at mid-thigh with a flare. Her dirty blonde hair hung around her face, framing it with delicate curls. It blocked her peripheral vision and she found herself wishing for her usual pony tail. The shoes were the worst. Tiny and fragile, the stilettos were the same shade of pink as her dress. It was no wonder women were so easily caught by the monsters stalking them, both human and the kind she was looking for.

She began to wonder, briefly, how fast she could run in these ridiculous shoes when a noise near the dumpster caught her attention. Drawing her blade, she grinned in satisfaction. She had parked in the back of the bar on a hunch, it seemed she wasn't wrong. Another noise bounced off the metal walls of the dumpster and she took a few, cautious steps forward, her blade held out in front of her. Bracing herself, she lifted the lid and let out a gasp as a squirrel popped its head out of the trash.

"Figures," she mumbled, stowing her blade and heading back towards the Impala. Yanking the keys out of her matching pink purse, she unlocked the door, determined to change into something with pockets.

"Dean," a gravelly voice called out behind her.

"Dammit Cas!" she yelped, turning around to face the angel. "Warn a girl!"

"My apologies," he mumbled.

Her eyes raked over his profile, taking in the bloodstains on his trench coat. His black hair was messier than usual and his electric blue eyes lacked their usual light. "God, Cas," she whispered, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Raphael…" he muttered, "I fought off some of his soldiers…"

He would never admit it, but she could see the pain in his eyes as he spoke of killing his brothers and sisters. She knew how much it ate away at him inside. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked softly.

"No," he huffed, his eyes widening as he seemed to notice her for the first time. "What are you doing?" he demanded, "What is _that_?"

"_That _Cas, really?" she growled, hiding the hurt in her voice. "I'm working a case."

"And it requires you to dress like… well…"

"A woman?" she pressed, "You can say it Cas. It's not anything new."

"Of course not," he muttered awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. The gesture seemed so… human.

"And yes, _this _is necessary." She gestured to her figure and grinned when his eyes followed her curves all the way down to her stupid little shoes.

"How are those practical?" he demanded, some of the fire returning to his eyes. "How can you fight in those?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised," she whispered, stepping closer to him. In one fluid motion, she drew so close that she had to look up at him and drew her blade, pressing it against his throat. "See?" she smirked, "Dead."

"This puts you in a dangerous position," he growled, placing his hands on her bare arms.

Ignoring the burning warmth where his skin touched hers, she met his eyes and frowned. "I could get out of it."

"Even with a creature so much larger and stronger than you?"

"Cas, we are not having the _men are stronger than women_ discussion," she growled.

"Of course not," he sighed, "We're having the _you are only human_ speech."

"I think we both know I am more than _just some human_," she argued.

"I never said you were."

His eyes had almost returned to normal, so she decided to risk asking him. "Cas, why are you here?"

The question seemed to surprise him. "I guess I… don't know," he answered lamely.

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment longer and Dean made a decision. She didn't care that she shouldn't. She didn't care if it was wrong. She made use of the couple extra inches those damn shoes gave her and she lifted her head, pressing her lips to his.

Cas jerked back slightly, shocked by her boldness, before wrapping his arms around her fiercely. He was crushing her, but she couldn't bring herself to care, wrapping her arms around him and pulling herself tighter against him. Pulling him with her, she lay back against the smooth hood of the Impala, not caring who might see. A brief wave of dizziness hit her, and the hard metal became the soft sheets of her hotel bed. Damn if she didn't love his angel powers.

* * *

Sam Winchester was a very good hunter. You might never know, the way his older sister talked, but he was one of the best at researching (second only to Bobby Singer) and proficient in weapons. His research had led him to another abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere, a typical hangout for the things that go bump in the night. Sighing to himself, he dialed Dean's number, hoping that she had remembered to leave the ringer off if she had managed to find anything to chase. Or be chased by. The phone rang several times before he heard Dean's voice mail message. _This is Dean. You know what to do._

"Hey Dean," he tried to keep his tone light, "I found something. Creepy old warehouse, your favorite. Call me when you get this."

Sam leaned his head back against the headrest and tried not to worry too much about his sister.

* * *

Dean wasn't sure how she had ended up in bed with an angel, but she sure wasn't going to complain. She felt something vibrating against her thigh and threw the offending phone across the room, still in the little pink purse. Cas broke their kiss and began trailing kisses down her neck, leaving her gasping for breath.

"I knew I should have changed the channel," Dean ground out, referring to the angel's only education in such acts. Delivered, fittingly enough, by a pizza man.

"I believe you would have stopped me by now, were you not enjoying this," he argued, his mouth returning to hers.

"Mmm, fair enough," she smiled against his lips.

* * *

"Dean, this is my sixth message, answer your phone!" Sam growled at the answering machine. He had tried calling Dean's backup and backup-backup phones. He finally decided to look for her at the bar she had been scoping out, only to find the Impala abandoned.

"Where the hell are you?" he muttered worriedly. Knowing Dean would never forgive him for hotwiring the Impala… _Sam, my baby deserves more respect than that! _He decided to drive back to the motel room and pray he found her passed out there.

* * *

Dean lay on her side, staring into the blue depths of Cas' eyes. His arms were around her waist and he hugged her to him as she traced the stubble along his jawline. "Cas?" she whispered.

"Mmm?" he rumbled, his gravelly voice sending a shiver down her spine.

"I want to see you."

"I'm right here," he frowned slightly, confusion written in his features.

"I know that," she sighed, "I just mean… I wish… I want to be able to see _you_. All of you."

"Oh." His frown deepened as he realized her meaning. She wanted to see him in his true form. "You know that isn't possible for you," he reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, "I know that. I just wish is all."

Cas stared at her thoughtfully for a moment and then closed his eyes.

"Cas?"

"Sleep," he told her, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Her eyes closed without her permission and she let out a soft sigh. _Damn angel powers._

* * *

Sam twisted the doorknob slowly, steeling himself for what he might find. The door swung open, squeaking on its hinges as it revealed the hotel room. His eyes scanned the room until they fell on a small lump hidden under a pile of blankets. He sighed, relief flooding him, and walked into the room. The lump moaned as the door slammed behind him and Sam bit back a grin. Served her right for what she had put him through last night.

"Sammy?" Dean mumbled.

"Rough night?" he asked, his tone accusatory. His sister reached out a hand and found nothing but empty sheets. He tried not to notice the pain that flashed through her eyes. She would hate that he saw it.

"I'm sorry Sammy." She sat up and raked her fingers through her hair, trying to tame the mess of tangles. "Nothing was happening so I turned in early."

"Really?" he asked, kicking the dress she had worn the night before aside as he made his way to the mini fridge.

"Really." She offered him the dazzling smile that she always used to distract people when she was lying. Crossing her arms, she waited for him to respond.

"So, that's your shirt then?"

Dean's face fell as she glanced down at the white button-up. It was buttoned haphazardly as if the person who had dressed her was in a hurry. The thought of Cas fumbling as he tried to dress her made her blush and gave her a strange tingling sensation. _What am I, fifteen?_ His shirt only reminded her of the fact that he had left her alone and she became angry again. "Yes, this is mine," she answered defiantly, "Got a problem with that?"

"Nope," Sam shrugged. "It would have been nice if you had called though. I looked all over for you last night. Thought that thing might have found you."

Eyes wide, Dean blushed harder as she realized her mistake. She had been so caught up in… well… that she completely forgotten about her little brother. He had been looking for the creature while she had been trying to lure it out by posing as a young girl out drinking for the first time. Her small stature and young face made her look like a girl in her early twenties.

"It's fine, don't worry about it," Sam sighed, running a hand through his shaggy brown hair. He was so tall that people assumed that he was her older brother. It certainly helped to convince people that she was young and innocent.

"No, I'm sorry Sammy. I should have called." She stood and walked to the small table in the corner of the room. Tracing the edge of a glass, she tried to ignore the fact that she wasn't wearing any pants. "I know you worry, but I'm fine," she suddenly insisted. "Besides, I'm the one who protects you, remember? How am I supposed to do my job if you are so concerned about me? I've been at this longer than you; I can handle myself."

"Dean, I know that, ok? You are the strongest woman I have ever met and a damn good hunter. But I just… recently you…"

"I what?" she demanded, turning on her heel to face him. "Finish that sentence."

"You seem distracted." He refused to look her in the eye as he continued, "You haven't been yourself lately. It's like you are always waiting for something, looking for someone. That isn't even your shirt, is it?" He finally met her eyes, his dark brown ones full of concern. "I thought you were avoiding that. You said it was an advantage, that we could use it to draw them out. Don't you care about that anymore?"

"Don't act like you're upset about it!" she growled. "You hated that I was offering myself up for bait. I thought you would be thrilled."

"I did, I hated it," he admitted. "But that doesn't mean I want my sister sleeping around with random guys. Aren't you concerned at all that you could…"

"I know that! I am fully aware that I am a woman, Sammy. I know that people don't think I'm strong enough to be a hunter. That people think my emotions will get in the way of doing the job. That you think you have to protect me. But you don't, Sam. I protect you because I am the oldest and that is what Dad asked me to do."

"I'm not six anymore, Dean. I can take care of myself," he argued.

Standing before her, he reached out a hand and smoothed down her hair. Her head only came up to his chest. _Stupid moose. _"No you can't," she huffed, "You're just a nerd. Can't fight worth anything."

"I know," he laughed. "Now, are we gonna kill this thing or what?"

* * *

Never was she more comfortable than when she was wearing her jeans and boots. Dean pulled on a leather jacket and admired herself in the mirror.

"Yeah, you look hot. Can we go now?" Sam teased. He slammed the trunk of the Impala closed and walked around to the passenger door. "And do you think we could listen to something from this decade?"

"Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole," she reminded him.

"Dean."

Dean spun around and nearly knocked Cas to the ground. He stepped back, narrowly avoiding her elbow. "Will ya stop doing that?" she demanded.

"I've been working on it," he explained vaguely, "What you asked for."

"Dean, what did you do?" Sam demanded.

"I didn't do anything," she argued. "Bitch."

"Jerk."

"What you asked of me, wanting to see it. I think I might have a way."

She froze, her mind processing what that meant. "I could really?" she asked in wonder, "You're sure?"

"See what?" Sam asked warily, "What is he talking about? What are you talking about, Cas?"

"It's nothing…" she mumbled, "Don't worry."

"I can…" Cas grabbed Dean's hand and choked on his next words, the air rushing from his lungs. "You can't…" he muttered gruffly.

"Cas, what's wrong?" Sam demanded. The angel looked up at him slowly. His eyes were wide and full of an emotion that Sam had never seen in him before. Fear. Before Sam could question him further, he disappeared. "Why do you keep doing that?" he shouted at the empty air. He turned to question his sister and blinked rapidly. As if that would change what he saw. Cas had definitely disappeared.

And he had taken Dean with him.


	3. Chapter 3

_He walked through an abandoned warehouse, dust kicking up with every step. The sounds of his footfalls echoed back to him from the walls with nothing to absorb them. A figure sat hunched in the center of the building, hunched over and shaking. He clutched the demon knife a bit tighter and approached the trench-coated angel slowly, taking in his tattered and bloodstained appearance. "Cas?" he called softly as he stepped into his line of sight._

_"I couldn't…" the angel began, his voice cut off with a sob. "I tried to… I thought I could… there were so many…" _

_His eyes slipped away from the angel and finally landed on what he was clinging to so tightly. There, in Castiel's arms, lay his sister. Dean. His older sister, the only family he had left, the one who had lived only to protect him since he was six months old, lay bloody and broken in the arms of her angel. Her green eyes stared empty at nothing, blood matting her hair. _

Sam rolled over and groaned, shaking off the nightmare. He stretched tiredly, reminded once again of the soreness in his muscles. This last hunt had taken a lot out of him. Had it always been this difficult without his sister? His thoughts turned to Dean, her laugh, her smile, the way she could drink any man under the table. Now more than just his muscles ached.

A sensation broke through his misery, one that he was very familiar with. He was being watched. Rolling to his side, he grabbed the gun from under his pillow and sat up, flicking the bedside lamp on as he did.

A figure sat at the end of his bed, watching him with bright green eyes. She blinked in the sudden brightness and tried to smile. "Hey Sammy."

"Dean," he breathed, "Where the hell have you been?"

"More like Heaven, actually," she shrugged.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously and she groaned, running a silver knife along her forearm and taking a swig of the holy water he kept next to the bed to confirm it was really her. She was really there. Tiny and beautiful and absolutely perfect. His sister was still alive. It had been three months since Castiel had taken her away. He was so relieved to see her, it took a moment to process her words. "Heaven? That bastard got you killed?"

"No, Sam," she tried to placate him. "He was hiding me. I've been dragged all over the planet, but I'm fine."

"Why would he hide you? Is something after you?"

"No, nothing is trying to kill me," she assured him. "Not at the moment, anyway."

"So why would he need to hide you if nothing is after you?"

She took a deep breath and smiled, a genuine smile that reached her eyes. "I missed you, little brother. Can't we talk about this later?"

Sam studied her, looking for any signs of deception. He noticed she seemed a bit… softer now. As if she had grown into her body. A life on the road hunting and drinking her meals had made her thin, thinner than she should have been. She looked so much healthier now, happier. It was almost as if she were glowing.

"Fine," he agreed, "Later."

"So, what about you? You're working a case?" she asked, nearly bouncing up and down in excitement. "Tell me about it."

"All right, calm down," Sam chuckled, "What has gotten into you?"

"Three months of wandering around the world with nothing to stab."

"I see," he frowned disapprovingly, "Anyway…"

* * *

Dean held out her hand expectantly.

"What?" Sam asked warily.

"The keys, Sam! The keys! It's been three months since I saw my baby. There's no way I'm letting you drive."

"Fine," Sam grinned, fishing the keys out of his pocket. "Here." He paused as he glanced back up at her. She stood absolutely still. It was almost as if she were an animal that had sensed the presence of a predator. "What's wrong?"

"He's found me," she scowled. "I thought I had covered my tracks well this time."

"Who's found you?"

"Dean!" a voice thundered behind him. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm guessing you didn't ask for permission for this little visit?" Sam guessed.

"None of your business, Cas," she smirked, "I'm a big girl; I can do what I want."

"Perhaps you could before, but now…"

"And whose fault is that?" she sneered.

"I'm sorry," he told her, his voice dropping a few octaves. "I understand that the way you are now is entirely my fault. I would take it back if I could."

"Don't say that," she whispered sadly, "Cas, I can't stand it if you say that too. Please, don't…"

Sam glanced back and forth between them, utterly lost. Dean seemed to be riding some sort of emotional roller coaster, and Castiel was acting almost human.

"I'm sorry," Cas apologized again, lifting his arms as if to embrace her before letting them fall to his sides. "Don't think I regret either of you. I just, I want you to be safe. You aren't now, and that is because of me."

"What is happening?" Sam demanded. "Why isn't Dean safe? What did you do, Cas?"

Cas let out a deep breath and ran a hand down his face. "Something happened, and now there is something very powerful that both demons and angels will want to get ahold of. And not just them, anyone who seeks power. It came into existence because of me, and Dean is in danger because of it."

"And this _thing_ is…" Sam pressed.

Dean flinched at the emphasis he placed on the word and her hand dropped to her stomach. She splayed her fingers across it, as if she was protecting something. Before he finished processing what that meant, Sam had already crossed the distance between himself and the angel.


	4. Chapter 4

Bobby scowled as someone knocked on the door urgently. "I'm comin' already," he growled, slamming shut the dusty tome he had been studying. Grabbing a shotgun loaded with salt rounds, he cautiously opened the door.

"Hey Bobby," Dean greeted him sheepishly, her hand still raised to knock again.

"What are you three idjits doin' here?" he asked gruffly, masking his relief that Dean seemed alright.

"Well, we were hopin' we could stay here for a bit…" Dean answered with an innocent grin.

Bobby glanced between the two men, noting the angel's disapproving glare and the younger Winchester's busted hand. "What've you got yourselves into this time?"

* * *

"I understand you are upset," Cas tried to explain. "I have placed your sister's life in danger and took her away from you, from your life, without a word."

Sam grimaced as Bobby wrapped his hand.

"I can fix that for you," Cas offered.

"No need," Sam growled. He wanted nothing from the angel that had placed a bigger target on his sister. There wasn't a monster alive that wouldn't want to get its hands on the hunter, let alone her unborn, half angel child.

"You should let him do it, boy," Bobby scolded him. "You'll be able to hunt sooner that way."

"It's fine. Just wrap it."

"Idjit."

The three of them paused as Dean's laughter rang down from upstairs. Bobby had ordered her to get some rest in her room, since traveling there had worn her out. Two more voices joined in the laughter and the three men froze.

"Bobby, do you have company over?" Sam asked quietly.

"Not that I know of."

Sam grabbed his gun and headed towards the stairs, Cas with his archangel blade a step behind. The two made their way up to the second floor, making as little noise as possible. Sam reached the bedroom door and eased it open with the toe of his boot, gun drawn.

It swung open to reveal two girls sitting cross-legged on the bed, and a woman sitting in a chair they had pulled up beside it. Dean and Jo were holding hands and Ellen looked on affectionately.

"You…" Sam shook his head disbelievingly, "The two of you are supposed to be dead."

"Well, that ain't any way to greet someone you haven't seen in a while, now is it?" Ellen scowled.

"It's alright Sam," Jo smiled at him, "Dean brought us here."

"Dean…" Sam paled, "How did you bring them here?"

"Hmm? I wanted to see them," Dean shrugged, "So, they're here."

Cas grabbed the back of Sam's jacket and pulled him from the room.

"What are you…" Sam growled.

"We'll discuss this downstairs with Bobby," he ordered.

The two made their way back downstairs and explained the situation in hushed tones.

"Balls," Bobby muttered under his breath. "How long has she been able to do things like this?"

"Since two months," Cas answered. "Ever since then she has continued to develop more angelic abilities. It began with her being able to stop me from flying her places. Now she can fly on her own. And now, it seems she can bring back the dead."

"What do you suggest we do?" Sam asked tiredly. "She must know that she is the cause of this. Why won't she stop?"

"This isn't a normal child," Cas explained. "It is half angel. At this point, it must be developing abilities and those are leaking into Dean. She has been prone to extreme mood changes ever since she found out about the child. I feel it is safest for all of us to allow her to do as she wishes. Upsetting her could be deadly."

"So you're telling me that she is up there playing necromancer and I'm not supposed to say jack squat about it?" Bobby demanded.

"That is correct."

* * *

"I don't think they were too happy to see us," Jo smirked, staring after Sam and Castiel.

"Who cares what they think?" Dean snorted, squeezing Jo's hand. Though they weren't blood, the two of them were sisters and she had missed the blonde.

"Now Dean, honey," Ellen scolded her, "You know I'm glad to see you, but you have to know this isn't right. You can't go around bringing back the dead like this."

"But I missed you," she mumbled, tears forming in her eyes. "I need you, both of you. The boys don't understand. How could they? I just need someone who knows what I am going through. I need your help, Ellen."

The older woman softened and took the girl in her arms. "I know, sweetie," she soothed, "But this isn't the way to do it. I'll do what I can, but you will have to talk to Cas sometime."

Dean grimaced and hid her face in Ellen's shoulder. "We've spent the last three months traveling to different safe locations across the world. Ever since he realized I'm pregnant he's been treating me like a child. All he cares about is hiding me and keeping me safe. I was kept away from Sammy, from everyone, and had to wait alone until he would return from wherever he went all the time. For all I know, nobody outside of this house even knows about our baby. How could anyone be coming after me?"

"There are ears listening everywhere," Jo patted her back gently, "You know that better than anyone."

"What if I brought _them_ here…" Dean suddenly exclaimed, lifting her head from Ellen's shoulder. Hope glimmered in her eyes. It made the two women rather uneasy.

"Who, honey?" Ellen asked cautiously.

"If I bring them, the boys won't complain anymore and you can stay," Dean cried out excitedly. She closed her eyes and reached for the power inside of her.


	5. Chapter 5

Bobby slammed the book closed and groaned to himself. Swallowing the last of his whiskey, he glanced up at the person on the other side of his desk. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Is that any way to react, Bobby Singer?" the woman frowned, "Glad to see you, too."

"It's not that… I just… it's been a long day…" he mumbled uncomfortably.

"Bobby, we gotta talk," Sam announced, appearing from the kitchen. He pulled a young blonde woman along behind him and stopped short when he noticed Bobby's wife standing across the room.

"I know," Bobby growled, glancing at the young woman, "This Jessica?"

"Hello, Mr. Singer," Jess smiled politely, "It is very nice to meet you."

"What's going on?" Sam demanded, "Why are they here?"

"It's Dean, ya idjit. She's trying to bribe us to let Ellen and Jo stay."

Sam sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. It wasn't as if he wasn't happy to see Jess, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this was all very _wrong. _He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Dean was pregnant, let alone the fact that the child was currently supplying his sister with mojo of her own.

Jess squeezed his hand reassuringly and he smiled down at her, silently thanking her for understanding. "It's weird for me too, you know," she smirked.

"I realize the way we got here was a bit… unconventional," Karen frowned at her husband, "But I don't see why we can't take advantage of us being together for the moment."

"You haven't spent much time dealing with this stuff," Bobby grumbled.

* * *

"What did you do?" Ellen asked carefully, trying not to upset Dean.

"I brought Sam and Bobby peace offerings," she shrugged, "They'll be too busy dealing with Jess and Karen to annoy me about the two of you."

"You can't just resurrect everyone you know because your brother, grumpy father-figure, and angel boyfriend are on your case," Jo laughed.

"I want them to be happy too," Dean pouted. "I know they miss them."

"It's alright to want to do things for the people you love," Ellen agreed, standing and wrapping her arms around Dean's shoulders, "But the person they really need right now is you, Dean."

"That isn't true," she shook her head, "Sammy misses Jess, and what about Bobby with Karen? He's had to kill her twice thanks to the apocalypse."

"So give them a chance to say goodbye," Jo encouraged her. "Let them be together for a moment, and then let them have the goodbye they never got. Isn't that enough?"

"And send the two of you with them?" Dean concluded miserably.

"Yeah," Jo smiled sadly, "Us too."

"Ugh," Dean groaned, falling back on the bed and covering her head with a pillow.

* * *

Dean watched as Karen bustled around the kitchen, swatting at Bobby's hand when he tried to sneak a cookie from the cooling rack. "Not until after supper, Singer."

"Yes, ma'am," he grumbled, trying to hide his smile.

Quietly leaving them alone, she peered into the living room where Sam and Jess were curled up on the couch together sharing a blanket and a book. Her heart warmed at the content look on Sam's face. He leaned his head against Jess' and she leaned back against him, lifting her head to kiss him.

Smiling to herself, Dean walked outside to search for her angel.

"Dean?" his deep voice called to her, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Cas," she grinned, for once not upset that he had appeared behind her.

"Is there something you need?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Not really," she shrugged, taking a step closer to him.

"I'm glad," he sighed, "I am going to listen to… "angel radio" as you call it, for a while. Please alert me if you think of anything you need." He turned and walked inside the house, leaving Dean alone in the yard.

"Cas, you bastard," she swore, fighting against the tears welling up. _I'm not some fragile, whiny bitch from some chick-flick…_ she silently insisted. _I am not crying because my angel boyfriend ignored me again._

"Oh, Dean," Cas called, sticking his head out the front door.

"Yeah?" she answered, trying not to look too hopeful.

"You shouldn't stay outside for too long, it is safer in the house."

"Yeah," she scowled, "Be right in."

* * *

"He was so nervous," Karen smiled fondly, removing a pie from the oven.

"Who woulda thought Bobby was such a romantic," Dean smirked, trying to ignore the mouthwatering smell that filled the small kitchen.

"Not me," Ellen rolled her eyes. "Course I didn't know him until… well, after."

The women were silent for a moment, wistfully remembering what their lives were like before the supernatural ripped them apart. Dean sat on the counter, bouncing her heels off of a cupboard door while Jess and Jo washed and dried the dishes. Ellen had taken to digging through Bobby's pantry to discard anything past its expiration while Karen prepared a decent meal. They sat in companionable silence until a grin broke across Dean's face.

"Jess, you were with Sammy at Stanford…"

"Yes," the blonde nodded with a conspiratorial grin of her own.

"You must have some dirt on the kid. Drunken serenades, cheesy love letters, something."

"Well, there was this…"

"Don't you dare!" Sam shouted from the living room.

The women glanced at each other with wide eyes before breaking into a fit of giggles. "Come on, Sammy!" Dean teased. "You left me outta the loop for _years_. You at least owe me a good story or two."

The giant of a man entered the kitchen and grumbled something about _nosy older sisters_ before kissing Jess and heading out the door to join the other men.

"Finally," Dean rolled her eyes.

"What about you, Dean?" Jo smirked. "Got any stories about Castiel?"

"What do you mean?"

"She means, you didn't end up the soon to be mamma of a little half angel by yourself," Ellen teased, "Tell us about your angel."

Dean scowled and flipped them off, earning another round of laughter.

"Sweetheart, I think what they are trying to ask is how did you and Castiel fall in love?" Karen offered helpfully.

"Ask him," Dean crossed her arms. "All I know is that he 'gripped me tight and raised me from perdition.' Oh, and we have a 'profound bond,' or whatever."

"You love him," Jess stated. It was not a question.

"I do."

"And he loves you in return."

Dean regarded her brother's girlfriend carefully, wondering if the woman was just trying to placate her. "How would you know?"

The other four women exchanged knowing looks that set Dean's teeth on edge. "You can see it," Jess explained, "When he thinks no one can see him staring."

"He has a bit of a staring problem," Dean snorted, "That's not unusual."

"Not the way he looks at you, dear," Karen assured her. "That boy is head over heels for you, I know it."

"Has a funny way of showing it," Dean shrugged, trying to sink a fork into the pie cooling next to her.

Karen frowned and grabbed the utensil before the hunter could take a bite, scolding her gently about waiting until after dinner.

* * *

"Cas, do you have a minute?"

"Joanna," the angel nodded politely.

Jo glanced around the room and frowned. "In here," she told him, grabbing his hand and leading him to the kitchen.

"You wish to discuss something with me?" Cas asked.

"Yeah, I… it's Dean," she began awkwardly. She hadn't been around the angel all that much in life and realized she knew very little about him.

"Is something wrong?" he demanded, suddenly on alert.

"No, no, she's fine," she assured him, placing a hand on his arm to stop him from flashing to where Dean was. "I just, I was wondering if the two of you had talked about this much."

"This?" Cas repeated, not understanding her meaning.

"Yeah, the two of you. The baby. What life will be like from now on…"

"I'm afraid I do not understand."

Jo sighed and stared up into his too blue eyes. "Cas, do you love Dean?"

"I do," he confirmed, "We have a profound bond."

"But do you _love_ her?" Jo pressed.

"I… believe so," Cas hesitated, "I am told that what I feel for her is what you humans would describe as _falling in love_."

"Have you told her?"

"I believe she knows this."

"But have you told her?"

"I…"

"Boy, you may be an angel of the Lord, but you are clueless when it comes to relationships, you know that?" Ellen scolded him, walking into the kitchen.

"I am still new to human emotions," he tried to defend himself.

"That is no excuse for leaving that poor girl in such a state," Ellen scowled. "She is one of the smartest, bravest hunters I have ever met, but dammit Cas she's terrified right now."

"What is causing her such distress?" He hadn't noticed Dean behaving in any of the ways he associated with signs of fear. Had he missed a crucial indicator?

"The girl is pregnant with a half-angel baby and the father hasn't said a word to her besides telling her that he will keep her safe."

"Why do you think she brought us here?" Jo asked him.

"Because she missed your company?" he guessed.

"Because she was looking for help," Ellen smacked the back of his head. "She has no idea what to expect from this. Being a hunter her whole life, I'm sure she never even considered that she might become a mother. Now she has to figure out what that means on her own."

"Not only that," Jo added, "But she finally let you in, let you know how she felt about you, and you haven't said a word about it! Profound bond or not, you have to let her know that you love her!"

"Cas, you took Dean away from her brother and everyone who cares about her for three months. She is feeling scared and alone, so she reached out to the people she thought would be able to help her. But we aren't the people she needs right now. She needs someone who can hold her and tell her everything will be fine, but she is too proud to tell you that."

Cas paled as their words sunk in. They were correct, of course. For the last few months he had forced Dean into hiding. He told himself that he was only keeping her safe, that if he spent too much time near her she would be discovered and all hell would break loose. He had been hurting her. "I understand," he mumbled softly. "You are right, of course. I will speak with Dean and apologize."

The angel nodded to the two women and disappeared before their eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Dean rolled over in her sleep and moaned, dreaming of a cheeseburger the size of her face. Ever since she had found out she was pregnant, Cas had her eating like Sammy. All she wanted was something wrapped in bacon and a shot of whisky. _Stupid moose food. _

"Dean," a deep voice murmured in her ear, "Wake up."

She sighed softly and ignored the voice, snuggling deeper into the blankets.

"Do not retreat further under those," the voice warned, "I will come in after you."

The corner of her lips twitched and she pulled the blanket over her head, daring the voice to make good on its threats.

"You leave me no choice," Cas sighed. He lifted the edge of the blanket and scooted in next to her, pulling her into his arms. She turned around in his embrace to face him, her forehead meeting his chin.

"Now what?" she whispered playfully.

Cas did not answer her and instead removed one of his hands from her waist. She made a sound of displeasure, but he silenced it by grabbing her chin and lifting her face to meet his. The kiss started sweet and gentle, his lips attempting to elicit a response from hers. When she opened her mouth to him he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring every corner of her mouth. His technique was quite impressive for someone whose only knowledge came from one encounter and watching a pizza man. She slid her hands down to his chest, tracing the hard muscles beneath his shirt, wishing she could remove the fabric.

Cas pulled away from her and she growled, not feeling nearly satisfied. He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose, earning a scowl. "Sadly, I did not come here to repeat the actions that placed us in our current position," he informed her.

She raised an eyebrow and smirked, "I can think of a few positions I would like to be in."

A blush crept across his cheeks and he ignored her comment, sitting up and pulling her with him.

"What is it, Cas?" she groaned.

"You cannot let everyone stay here," he told her gently, "You know that."

"I do," she admitted reluctantly, "But is it really that bad? Just for a while?"

"Dean…"

"I know, I know," she pouted. "But, haven't you seen how happy Bobby and Sam are? Jess and Karen are here and it isn't because of some apocalypse crap or shady hoodoo magic. It's because of me, Cas. I gave that to them."

"But it is wrong," he insisted, "They are meant to be in Heaven. Ellen and Joanna as well." Dean stiffened and Cas realized he was losing her again. He lifted a hand and stroked her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. "I know you brought them back because you have been feeling alone…"

"I…"

"Don't," he stopped her protest, "I took you away and gave you nothing but fear for your future. I told you nothing of what to expect, only my own fears and concerns. I was selfish and assumed your feelings without sharing my own. I wish to rectify that now, if you will hear it."

"Alright."

He took a deep breath and stared into her bright green eyes, realizing how much he loved the way they sparkled in the light of the setting sun streaming in through the window. "Dean, I want you to know that nothing brings me more joy than the knowledge that you will be bringing my child into this world. Though I will not pretend that I do not worry for your safety, I will never regret what passed between us and the life we have created. Understand that a child such as this does not come into existence easily. Unlike with humans, there must be a bond between a human and the angel for a nephilim…"

Dean stared at him questioningly and he smiled.

"That is what humans call a half-angel such as this," he murmured, placing a hand on her growing stomach. "This child is proof of my love for you, Dean Winchester."

"I love you, too," she answered the unspoken question in his eyes. "Isn't that how this works?" she placed a hand over his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"It is," he confirmed. "I suppose it is just nice to hear it.

"Mmm," she sighed, her eyes drifting shut.

Cas allowed himself a small smile and he sang to her softly in Enochian, a lullaby of the peaceful times to come.

* * *

Dean opened the fridge as quietly as she could, searching for the pie she knew Karen had made the day before. The sounds of footsteps on the stairs startled her, and she ducked behind the refrigerator door. _Well, this is stupid,_ she mused. _Just what the hell is this supposed to do?_

"Dean?" Sam called, walking into the kitchen and squinting at the open door.

"Yeah?" she answered nonchalantly, poking her head over the edge of the door as if she hadn't just been hiding behind it.

"What are you doing?" Sam scratched the back of his head lazily, his long hair messier than usual.

"Nothing," Dean sniffed, kicking the door shut. She faced Sam and crossed her arms over her chest.

"And you being downstairs bright and early in the morning has nothing to do with Karen's pie?"

"Of course not!" she exclaimed, acting hurt by his accusation. "You know Sammy, I have turned over a new, nutritionally conscious leaf."

"And you are looking in the fridge because?"

"I ate the leaf and I'm still hungry," she scowled.

"Figures," Sam snorted.

"And what about you, little brother?" Dean smirked, "Shouldn't you be with Jess right now? Doesn't she usually braid your hair while you guys discuss the school's cutest boys when you wake up? That is how slumber parties work, you know…"

Sam's face slipped into one his usual bitch faces and Dean snickered. "You think you're so funny…"

While she laughed, Dean finally noticed her brother's attire. Shirtless and clothed in only a pair of old sweatpants that hung loosely off his hips, Sam seemed incredibly happy and content, despite Dean's teasing. Her realization sobered her up quickly and she wrinkled her nose at her baby brother. "Come on man," she grimaced, "I didn't bring Jess back so you two could get it on… though I suppose you probably needed it."

"Shut up." Sam tried to sound fierce but he couldn't quite hide the pink coloring his cheeks.

"Dude, I may have brought her back but… Jess is still technically dead…" Dean's face twisted into a wicked grin. "That's just gross, Sam."

"Do you really have any room to talk?" Sam snorted, "Seriously man, angel baby…" He pointed to Dean's slightly bulging stomach.

Her face momentarily scrunched up in anger and then smoothed. "Ruby."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Fine," he offered her another of his various bitch faces, "You win." He turned from her and left the room, already sulking.

Dean wasn't worried. Jess was used to dealing with Sam's moods.

* * *

Crawling back into bed, both exhausted and, most upsettingly, pie-less, Dean slid under the covers and snuggled into her angel. He stirred and pulled her against his chest without waking. Content despite her lack of pie, she allowed herself to relax, breathing in his calming scent. She had never noticed before that people smelled differently. Sure she was used to the stench of the monsters they hunted, the sulfur demons left behind, the blood, the gore, the sweat of a hunt. But this was something different. This scent was pleasant and calming, this was safe and warm. It was purely Cas.

He pressed his nose into her hair and breathed deeply, as if he had read her mind and was telling her that he felt the same. For all she knew, he actually had. His eyes blinked open slowly and he drew her tighter to him, enjoying the feeling of waking up with her in his arms.

"Mornin' Cas," she sighed gently, pressing a kiss under his jaw line.

"Good morning, Dean," he greeted her, lowering his head to kiss her deeply.

* * *

"I am a horrible person," Dean grumbled, peeking around the corner. Her brother and his girlfriend were sitting on the couch, staring into each other's eyes and talking in hushed tones. "Ugh, how chick-flick," she grimaced.

"I do not think you would dislike it as much as you claim," Cas told her softly, his warm breath tickling her ear.

An involuntary shiver ran down her spine and she shook her head. "I'm more into the things you find in the back room of the video store," she disagreed.

Faster than her hunter reflexes could follow, Cas spun her around and pinned her against the wall, trapping both of her hands in one of his and holding them above her head. He lowered his face to her neck and kissed her gently, his other hand resting on her hip. "Is this what you mean?"

"Castiel," she breathed, "Are you… are you actually _teasing_ me?"

"I believe I am," he nodded, searching her eyes for confirmation that he was executing it correctly.

"Cas teasing people," she sighed, "May your dad help us all."

* * *

"Knew this was coming," Bobby sighed, taking his wife's hand.

"I'm sorry, Bobby." Dean stared at the carpet and bit her lip nervously.

He glared at the girl for a moment. Her dirty blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun with loose strands sticking out everywhere. She was barefoot and dressed in one of Castiel's white shirts with the buttons undone, a black tank top underneath, and an old, worn pair of denim shorts she used to wear while fixing up the Impala. For a hunter who had seen more than her fair share of monsters and been to hell and back, she looked for all the world like a normal, innocent girl.

Her angel stepped up behind her and placed a hand on her hip and her hands instinctively shifted to her stomach. It was nearing a month since she had shown up at his door, face red and telling him that she was expecting. He shouldn't have been surprised really, the way those two stared into each other's eyes all the time like the main characters of some cheesy chick-flick. He just never thought Dean would be willing to bring a life into the world that had done nothing but kick her while she was down. If Bobby had to admit it, he was kinda happy about it. Once that idjit of an angel finally got off his ass and quit being afraid of her, they had began acting like a normal couple expecting their first child. Well, as normal as a hunter and an angel expecting a powerful hybrid baby could be anyway.

Tearing his eyes away from Dean, he turned to his wife. He would have to say goodbye to her once again. Silently, he wondered how many times he would have to let her go before he finally joined her. _At least I don't have to kill her this time._

"Jess…" Sam began, standing on the other side of the room. He held his girlfriend's hands tightly and stared into her eyes, fighting back tears.

"It's ok, Sam," Jess smiled, "I understand."

Dean grit her teeth and lifted her head, gazing at the four women gathered before her. "Everyone, I am so sorry I put you through this…" Jo and Ellen gave her encouraging nods and she swallowed her nervousness. "I should have never brought you here, it was wrong of me. But I don't regret it." Sam grinned at his sister over the top of Jess' head and she continued. "We will miss you. I'm sorry." Dean closed her eyes and a soft breeze blew through the room. When she opened them, the women were gone, leaving them alone again.


	7. Chapter 7

Cas sat in a dusty armchair that was older than Dean and waited for Sam and Bobby to respond. He watched their faces closely, waiting for them to become angry.

"I guess we will just have to deal with it," Sam shrugged, unconcerned.

"What are we dealing with?" Dean asked, carrying her mug of hot chocolate with care. She tiptoed through the room, dodging the books and weapons strewn about. Finally reaching her destination, she plopped down in Cas' lap, curling up and blowing gently on the still too warm liquid.

"Vampire nest not far from here," Bobby explained. "Kidnapping people, leavin' others all mangled in parks, causin' all kinds a problems."

"Doesn't sound too hard," Dean grinned, "Team Freewill, back on the hunt!"

"Absolutely not," Cas growled.

"But I thought we were…"

"Not you."

A shadow of anger crossed Dean's face before she smiled sweetly. Sam recognized the look instantly and snickered.

"What?" Bobby scowled, "You think she should tag along?"

Sam shook his head and motioned for Bobby to watch Dean.

"Cas, you wouldn't really leave me, would you?" she asked, her eyes wide. Cas may have invented the puppy dog eyes, but Dean had mastered them by the age of two. "I've been stuck here for so long… and there's nothing for me to really do here. After those three months of being dragged all over, and now this? I'd really love to be able to go out every once in a while, would it really hurt anything if I came along?"

"You are with child," Cas argued, "It is not safe for you to be around vampires now."

"I'm a fantastic hunter," she continued, snuggling into his chest, "Nothing would happen."

"You don't know that…"

"Then I'll stay in the car. See? Nice and safe."

"When have you ever stayed in the car?"

Sam and Bobby waited, holding their breaths. No one had ever lasted this long against adorable Dean. Not to be beaten, she continued, "Cas, I am carrying your child, a part of the angel that I love. Do you really think I would do anything to put her in danger?"

Cas began to respond and paused, finally meeting her gaze, "Her?"

"Yes, her. It's a girl."

He floundered, his mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out.

"How do you know?" Sam asked, suspicious.

Dean turned her head to stare at him for a moment, her eyes betraying her annoyance with his distraction. "Just do," she shrugged. Silence stretched between them and Cas hesitated to answer her question. Sensing she had found the chink in his armor, she turned back to him, glancing up through her lashes, "Please, may I go?

Reaching up and laying a hand on her cheek, Cas stared into her eyes for a moment before finally answering. "No."

"Ugh, fine!" she growled, getting to her feet and stomping out of the room.

"Well done," Bobby nodded his approval.

Sam grinned at Cas as if he had just accomplished something incredible. He was sure Sam would have felt differently if he had seen the look in Dean's eyes as she turned away.

* * *

The irony of the musical clinking of the deadly weapons was not lost on the angel Castiel as he threw the duffle bag into the back of the Impala. He had found what he was looking for. The archangel blades felt cool against his skin despite being locked in the blistering heat of the locked trunk for hours. He had specifically timed this retrieval to coincide with Dean's usual bout of morning sickness. Being deceitful was not something he was all that comfortable with, but he was willing to hide this if it would keep her safe.

"Archangel blades, hmm?" a voice mused behind him, "Strange thing to be taking on a vampire hunt, wouldn't you say?"

Cas turned around slowly, careful to meet her eyes without hesitation. "Only taking proper precautions," he disagreed, "I will place them in strategic locations around Bobby's home in case we find ourselves in need of them."

"Makes sense," Dean nodded, "So, why all the cloak and dagger?"

The angel drew his eyebrows together and tilted his head to the side, confusion evident in his eyes, "I do not understand. These blades are long and therefore generally not referred to as daggers, and I have been informed that this is in fact a trench coat, not a cloak."

Dean rolled her eyes and groaned, "Why are you sneaking around behind my back with angel killing gear?"

"I was not sneaking," he pouted.

"Cas, I know you guys aren't hunting vampires." Dean crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes demanding an explanation. "I'm not new to hunting. There are no strange deaths within 200 miles of here and nobody's missing. What's going on?"

"There is nothing that you need be concerned about," Cas answered vaguely, holding out a hand.

"That's bullshit and you know it," she growled, reluctantly sliding her hand into his.

"Dean, please understand, I would tell you if there was anything that might endanger you or our child."

"And what about you?" she argued. "Would you tell me if you were placing yourself in harm's way?"

"Let's go inside," Cas dodged the question, refusing to meet her eyes.

* * *

"You're sure about this?" Sam asked hesitantly, eyeing the angel in the passenger's seat.

"No," Cas sighed, "But I fail to see any better options."

Sam nodded resolutely and turned into the driveway of an abandoned warehouse. "So, how did you know they would be here?"

"I heard my siblings conversing about it. They had sensed a strange energy coming from somewhere in the vicinity and decided to investigate the cause. Anything to help in the war."

"And you think what they noticed was Dean?"

The angel nodded, "I have no doubt."

"Won't attacking them just draw more attention to her?" Sam argued.

"I thought of that as well," Cas agreed, "But, I think I will be able to play it off as one of Rachel's garrison orchestrating this. It shouldn't be too difficult.

Sam considered it for a moment and nodded, "Alright, let's go then."

* * *

Dean closed her eyes and sat perfectly still, trying to stretch her consciousness past the confines of her mind. She stayed like that for several moments, feeling increasingly foolish as nothing happened. "I knew this was a stupid idea," she berated herself. As she was about to give up her attempt at listening in on "angel radio," she heard something. It was soft at first, a barely audible whispering. Then it grew, voices rising and falling, melding together in a cacophony of angels speaking in Enochian. The noise was overwhelming, like a fire searing her mind, and then it stopped. For a moment all was silent, and then she could hear.

Dean sucked in a startled gasp as conversations floated through her head and she actually understood. The angel Rachel, leader of the fight against Raphael whispered in her ear, speaking of an ambush the other side was planning. A warehouse, Dean deciphered, somewhere… in South Dakota. The angel wasn't sure who the attack was meant for, since none of her garrison were stationed anywhere near the state. They resolved to ignore the impending attack, since it had nothing to do with them anyway.

A chill slithered down her spine and Dean severed the connection. A warehouse in South Dakota. Her face paled as she realized what it all meant. There would be an ambush, and no help was coming.

Gritting her teeth, she grabbed a change of clothes and headed towards the bathroom.

* * *

Castiel walked down the aisle, using the shelves to hide himself, archangel blade in hand. They had tracked Raphael's men to this tiny town where they had begun the search for Dean. He heard the clang of a machine falling from a shelf to his left but ignored it. He was not foolish enough to fall for such a diversion.

Sam lifted the plastic flap covering the warehouse door and ducked underneath, scanning the open space for any angels. Pausing to listen for a moment, he drew his own blade. There was only the nearly imperceptible sound of fabric to warn him of the angel behind him. Sam spun around and parried the offending angel's attack. Across the room, Cas was engaged with another.

Cas grunted as his opponent kneed him in the gut, knocking the air from his lungs. The angel lifted his blade in the air, preparing to strike him down. Instead, Cas aimed a low sweeping kick at his legs, knocking him to the floor and burying his blade in his brother's chest. A blinding light burst from his eyes and mouth and the angel was dead.

"How's it going over there?" Sam called, pulling his blade from his felled opponent.

"Finished."

"We're just getting started," a female voice cackled behind Castiel. "You shouldn't have come here, brother," the angel sneered. She tried to take a step closer to him and froze as a ring of flame erupted around her.

"Neither should you," a voice mocked her from the shadows.

"What are you doing here?" Cas demanded, watching Dean cross the warehouse.

Ignoring his question, she sent an angel blade flying towards the trapped angel with a flick of her wrist. The blade sunk into her chest, killing her.

"I could ask you the same," Dean muttered, pulling another blade from her belt. "This is a trap."

As if to confirm her claim, six more angels stepped out of the shadows around them, blades in hand. "It's been awhile, brother," one of them addressed Cas. "Is this what you have been reduced to? Fighting alongside little girls?"

"A little girl who is gonna gank your angel ass," Dean growled, gripping her blade tighter.

"We'll see about that," the angel sneered, nodding to the others. They reacted instantly, two angels jumping Sam and three going for Cas. Their leader slowly approached Dean, amusement in his eyes. "I have never fought a human child," he mused.

Dean lunged for him, going for an obvious frontal attack. The angel grabbed her by the wrist and bent it at an unnatural angle, causing her to gasp in pain and release her weapon. "You know what's funny?" she panted, twisting her body to reduce the pressure on her wrist.

"What?" the angel sneered.

"You still haven't." Dean placed her hand on his forehead and the angel cried out in agony. The veins in his head glowed bright red and hot, searing him from the inside out. The light of his grace leaked from his eyes and mouth and was scattered. Satisfied, Dean turned her attention to Cas. He had subdued one of the angels, who knelt on the floor before him, gasping for breath. The others had caught him, one holding him by the arms and the other ready to run him through with a blade. She noticed a gash on his arm that seemed to be leaking light rather than blood.

Dean swore under her breath and sent Cas away before they could finish him. The attacking angel's blade passed through the air that was once occupied and stabbed the angel who had been holding him.

"You little bitch," the woman swore, turning on Dean. Hostility rolled off her in waves. "I don't know how you did that, but I will make you pay with your life."

Unconcerned by her threat, Dean sent Sam away as well. She spun away as the woman charged her, and thrust her blade into her chest, using the angel's momentum to bury it deep in her heart. The woman gasped and fell to her knees. She turned to deal with the remaining angel, whom had gained the upper hand on Sam before she had sent him to safety. The angel was not alone.


	8. Chapter 8

Cas appeared in Bobby's living room, his eyes closed and waiting for the killing blow. He had said his goodbyes to Dean and their child, praying that Sam would be able to get her out of there alive. When a few moments passed and he found himself still breathing, he opened his eyes and scanned the room.

"Might I ask what you're doin'?" Bobby asked him in the tone usually reserved for when Sam or Dean did something he found less than intelligent.

"Dean," Cas growled, realizing what must have happened. He gripped his forearm painfully.

"She's in the shower," Bobby rolled his eyes, silently questioning his life choices.

"She's not."

This caught Bobby's attention and he put down the book he had been reading. "I watched her walk in the bathroom," he told him, "Shut the door, turned on the water, and hasn't been out since. I think I woulda noticed if she had opened the door."

"She left," Cas disagreed.

"The bathroom's on the second floor," Bobby argued, "What'd she do, fly?"

"Yes."

Bobby stared into Cas' electric blue eyes, searching for any signs of humor. _Of course he isn't kidding, _Bobby sighed to himself, _I don't think he's capable of it. _"So? Where did she go?"

"She appeared in the warehouse while Sam and I were fighting my brothers and sisters."

"Did'ja kill 'em all?"

"No."

"And she's still there?"

"Yes."

"Then what the hell are you doing here, ya idjit?" Bobby demanded.

"She sent me here," Cas ran a hand through his hair, frustration leaking into his voice. "We were fighting and I… was losing. Dean sent me away before I was killed."

"Why didn't you go back to help?"

"I can't, she's blocking me. I have no idea how she's doing it."

Bobby had never heard such pain in the angel's voice before. In fact, he wasn't sure he had ever heard any emotion in his voice before. Cas looked so desperate and shaken Bobby could have sworn he was human. "Balls."

"Indeed," Cas agreed.

Bobby thought for a moment, tried to think like Dean. Worried about Cas or not, she wasn't a complete idjit when it came to fighting. She would have some sort of plan for when things went south. For the Winchesters, everything always went south. "Can you land somewhere near it?" Bobby asked quickly.

Cas considered it for a moment and nodded. "I think I can land a block away from the building."

"Do it. And get your feathery ass in that warehouse before that girl gets herself killed."

Before he had finished his sentence, Cas had already gone.

* * *

"You shouldn't have sent them away," one of the newcomers told her in a bored tone. "All we have to do is find them again and kill them."

"Like I'd let you do that," Dean sneered, hiding her fear behind a front of bravado. There were four of them now. The man speaking to her was the one calling the shots. He had chosen a vessel to reflect that; the man's height rivaled Sam's.

"You cannot fool me, human," the angel informed her in the same uncaring tone. "Your abilities are borrowed, you tire quickly."

Dean sank into a defensive stance, stretching her right arm across her body. She could sense the two angels behind her, poised to attack. They rushed her as one, each aiming for her ribs. Dean pulled another blade from her jacket and twirled the blades in her hands. Catching the handles, she stood and slammed the twin blades home into the assailants, catching them off guard. Ripping the weapons from them before they could acknowledge their death, she threw her left hand blade, felling another angel.

"Last one left," she taunted.

* * *

Cas landed a block and a half away from the warehouse where Dean was fighting. He checked to be sure there were no other reinforcements lying in wait and headed in the direction of the looming building. A strange sensation built up in the pit of his stomach as he drew nearer and his feet moved faster in response. _I believe this feeling is called dread, _he silently acknowledged.

* * *

Dean danced away from the angel's blade, narrowly missing the blow intended for her chest. She may have gained weight with the baby, but she was still light on her feet. The problem wasn't that the angel was any better at fighting than she was, it was how quickly she was tiring. The angel had been right, using so much of her borrowed abilities was quickly draining her, and she had no idea how much longer she would be able to stay upright.

Dodge, parry, attack, they danced to the rhythm of violence. One misstep could cost either their life. Dean found an opening and went for it, striking the angel's arm as he blocked her from reaching his heart. "Not bad," she acknowledged.

"I've got one better," he sneered, watching her eyes widen in pain.

* * *

Cas thundered through the warehouse, not caring that he wasn't being very stealthy. He emerged from the aisles to see Dean trading blows with one of his brothers. She was so absorbed in the fight, she hadn't noticed that another angel had appeared behind her.

"Dean, no!" he shouted, surging forward.

Either she couldn't hear him or didn't respond. Cas reached the angel and stabbed his blade into his back even as his sword did the same. The angel tilted his head back and the light of his grace left his vessel. The orphaned sword slid out of Dean as the body fell to the ground.

"No," Cas whispered, disbelieving. He leapt over the body of his fallen brother and caught Dean as she sunk to her knees.

"Cas, you weren't supposed to make it back so quickly," she laughed hollowly, gripping the collar of his trench coat.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, feeling a wetness collecting in his eyes.

"I didn't want you to get hurt," she explained. A coughing fit racked her body and she choked on the blood filling her lungs.

"I'll heal you," Cas reassured her, reaching for the power that was his grace.

"Cas, we both know you are outta mojo," she smiled gently, "Besides, I'm already…"

"You're wrong!" Cas shouted, refusing to allow her to give up, cursing the wound that was slowly eating away at him. Flying back to the warehouse had taken so much out of him he nearly passed out upon landing. "How many times have we been here before? You always come back…"

"I'm sorry… Cas…" Dean whispered, the light leaving her eyes. They stared up at him, blank and lifeless, and her breathing ceased.

"Dean." Cas sounded as if he was being strangled and it sure as hell felt like he was dying.

"Brother, how you have fallen," his brother scowled down at him. "Mourning a mud monkey this way when the lifeless bodies of your brothers and sisters are strewn about. How many have died by your hand?"

Cas ignored him, cradling Dean's limp body against his chest. The water that had begun gathering in his eyes had overflowed as he had seen happen with Dean on few occasions. There had been times when he had wanted to take her in his arms when it happened, to comfort her. Now he only wished he had done it sooner.

"So be it," his brother snarled, disgusted by Castiel's tears. He raised his blade in the air.

Unconcerned by his impending demise, Cas brushed a few loose strands of hair away from Dean's face. He closed her eyes so that it would appear as if she were only sleeping. He imagined he could see the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

The blade slashed through the air, approaching his heart, but Cas only had eyes for Dean. He stared down at his hands. She was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

Sam slammed into the angel as his blade made its way towards Cas. The angel leapt back and growled his displeasure.

"So, the brother returns as well. I'm afraid you are too late, boy."

Cas ignored the two as they fought, staring at his empty arms. She had been there moments before, far too still, her blood slowly seeping into his coat. Now she was gone along with any evidence she had ever been there. He sat, confused and angry, needing to know where she was, needing to hold her in his arms. A scream rang out from the other side of the room, announcing his brother's death, but his mind could not process any of it.

"I think you owe him an apology," Sam called out to the shadows, taking in Cas' broken state.

"I know that," a woman answered, appearing between two over-sized engines. She crossed the room slowly, cautiously approaching the angel. Cas finally noticed and stared up at her, his eyes rimmed in red. "Cas?" she asked softly, "I am so sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. You weren't supposed to be able to get back in here." Dean stood before him, unsure if he was angry.

"How are you here?" he whispered almost inaudibly.

"Trick I learned from Gabriel," she tried to shrug nonchalantly. "It was a solid illusion, like the ones the Trickster used."

"I see."

"Cas, are you angry?" She wasn't sure what she would do if he decided to never speak to her again.

"You are alive?" he asked, searching for her, looking past the body and examining her soul. He didn't need to reach inside of her to see it glowing brilliantly, the soul he had fought through hell and back to save. He would recognize it anywhere. And inside of her, resting peacefully as if nothing had happened, was a smaller bit of soul, identical but mixed with a familiar grace. Their child.

"I am," Dean promised, reaching out and ruffling his hair affectionately.

He wrapped his arms around her then, pulling her against him tightly. She giggled in her surprise and he rested his head against her stomach. They stayed like that for a while, her hands resting on his head.

* * *

"Idjit," Bobby scolded Dean, smacking her on the back of the head.

"Oww," she protested. "The hell, Bobby?"

"That's for sneaking out on me and tryin' to get yourself killed."

"I wasn't," Dean pouted, puffing up her cheeks.

"Had me fooled," Bobby grumbled.

Dean tried to walk to the other side of the kitchen but was pulled back. Cas caught her wrist and tugged her to his chest, trapping her in a bear hug. "Personal space," she choked out, struggling in his grasp.

"I believe you lost that right the moment you decided to pull that stunt of yours," Sam snickered, earning a death stare from his sister.

"I'm fine, really," she groaned, turning in the angel's hold and meeting his eyes. "I'm here, I'm alive, and our daughter is fine." She placed a hand on each side of his face and waited for a response.

Cas sighed and leaned forward, placing his forehead against hers. "Just for a little while."

Dean rolled her eyes and grabbed the angel's hands, leading him to the couch. Grabbing a blanket on the way, she waited until he was seated and then curled up in his lap, draping the blanket over them.

"How chick-flick," Sam teased from the kitchen as she flipped through the channels, searching for something with action.

"Sammy," she called, ignoring his comment, "Bring me some pie."

"Not happening," he growled, rolling his eyes at her barely stifled giggles.

Cas buried his face in her hair and wrapped his arms around her abdomen. "Don't ever do anything like that again," he whispered softly in her ear.

"I'm a hunter, Cas," she argued softly, turning her head and burying her face in his chest.

"Not right now," he disagreed, "Right now you are a pregnant woman who happens to be a former hunter."

"Doesn't work that way," she scowled.

"Please?" Cas asked softly, trailing kisses down her neck.

"Ugh," she groaned, trying to ignore him.

"Please, Dean?" he asked again, continuing his assault.

"Please what?"

"Please stop hunting, for me? For her?" he pressed a hand against her abdomen, tracing circles with his thumb.

"Only until after I get this kid out…" she conceded, ignoring his triumphant grin. She glanced at the kitchen, wondering why Bobby and her brother hadn't said anything about their obvious PDA on the couch and noticed that the two had decided to leave them alone.

* * *

"You think she really means that?" Sam asked, closing the basement door as quietly as he could.

"What?" Bobby asked, taking stock of his supplies to pass the time. He sure as hell wasn't going to be upstairs with those two making eyes at each other on the couch.

"Giving up hunting." Sam sat on a stool and picked up a book Bobby had left lying on the table. He had caught the tail-end of their conversation before retreating to the basement.

"Yeah"

He glanced up at the older hunter, shock evident on his face. "Really?"

"Well sure," Bobby shrugged, "She's pregnant, you idjit. May not look it now, tiny as she is, but pretty soon she won't be able to put socks on by herself, let alone fight stuff."

"Good point," Sam grinned, imagining a helpless Dean.

"I'd wipe that grin off your face," Bobby warned him, "I know what you're thinking; Dean will be all helpless and sweet… forget it. She'll be big as a house and won't be able to do half the things she wants, more with that angel restricting her diet to healthy crap that she hates. No hunting, no whiskey, no pie…"

Sam's face paled and Bobby nodded his approval. "Now you're gettin' it. She won't be allowed to hunt, eat what she wants, or reach her feet and she'll feel like shit. She'll be a pain in our asses and we won't say jack squat because we know she is just doing her best to deal with the fact that she is carrying a half angel baby."

"You're right," Sam groaned, burying himself in his book.

* * *

Dean woke with a start, her eyes scanning the room out of reflex. Cas snored softly in her ear and tightened his arms around her middle, effectively pinning her back down on the couch. "Seriously?" she groaned, attempting to wiggle her way out of his grasp.

The television cast a soft glow across the living room as the final credits rolled for the movie they had been watching earlier. Its story left something to be desired and halfway through Cas had tucked her against his side and buried his face in her hair, falling asleep almost instantly. For someone who didn't actually need to sleep, the angel sure seemed to enjoy it. Resigned to her fate, she snuggled back up against his chest, closed her eyes, and sighed.

A chill ran down her spine as she started to drift back off to sleep. An unfamiliar energy buzzed through the air, setting her teeth on edge. Dean closed her eyes and focused on a point a few feet from the couch, flashing there in an instant. Finally free of Cas' death grip, she slid a pillow into his empty arms, turned toward the kitchen, and took a few cautious steps forward. An angel blade appeared in her hand as she crossed the threshold.

A tiny woman sat on the kitchen counter across from Dean, offering her a lazy grin. Clad in skinny jeans and a maroon tank top with her ever present green jacket, the woman glanced down at Dean's protruding belly and shook her head disbelievingly. Her short blonde curls bounced as she hopped down from her perch and gave the other woman a quick once-over. "Hey there, Dean-o!" she exclaimed, gold eyes sparkling.


	10. Chapter 10

"Gabriel," Dean grimaced, "The hell are you doing here?"

The archangel placed a hand over her heart and blinked sad puppy eyes at her. "I'm hurt," she pouted, "No _Gabriel, it's great to see you!_ or _How are you alive?_"

"Trickster," Dean shrugged as if it explained everything.

"Got that right," she grinned, popping a red sucker in her mouth.

"Doesn't answer my question."

"Ya know," Gabriel scowled, "I am an archangel still. You could show me some respect."

"Soon as you earn it. Now… spill."

"Dean?" Cas' voice called from the other room, still gruff with sleep.

"We have a visitor," Dean answered, barely glancing at him as he entered the kitchen.

"Gabriel?" he blinked rapidly.

"Yeah, yeah, we've been over this," Gabriel rolled her eyes. "I let Luci think he got the best of me and then went back into hiding. Was having a great time of it too… until I heard rumors of some big new player gathering some serious mojo in the Dakotas. Naturally I thought of you chuckleheads. Seems I wasn't wrong."

"Sister, I…"

"Oh, save it, Cassie. I know that little bun in the oven has your name all over it. Honestly, I'm surprised it took you this long."

"So, what now?" Dean asked angrily. "You're here, you've seen her. What are you going to do about it?"

"Her, huh? A niece…" Gabriel's smile faltered a bit and her eyes seemed wistful. Before Dean could question the change in her demeanor she shook it off and glanced around the kitchen with forced enthusiasm. "Now then, where's your moose?"

"Oh, no…" Dean growled between her teeth. "After that shit you pulled at the Mystery Spot, and then you go dying on us, trying to look like some misunderstood heroine…" Gabriel's laugh interrupted her rant, causing her to lose steam.

"Misunderstood heroine? You've been watching too many superhero movies there kiddo. I was just trying to save my own bacon. Word was floating around that I was still alive, couldn't have that getting back to Luci and Mikey lest they try and recruit me into their endless family feud."

"You used us."

"Bingo! Give the girl a hand," Gabriel threw out her hands dramatically and confetti exploded over Dean's head, covering her and Cas.

"Sister, it doesn't do well to…" Cas began.

"Oh, can it, _Cassie_," Gabriel scowled. "I've lived several for millennia, surviving by looking out for only numero uno and I'm not about to change that just because you had to go and fall for a human. Protecting her and her moose are your problem, not mine."

The anger brewing behind the angel's eyes sent a shiver down Dean's spine as she was reminded once again that he was not only her Cas, but also Castiel, Angel of the Lord. "I should think you are the last angel I would hear that from, sister," he growled dangerously. "Do not think I am unaware of your past, Loki. And what of Kali?"

"She was just a…" Gabriel scoffed, "You know what, I don't have to explain myself to you. I came to give you a warning, but if you don't want to hear it…"

"About what?" Dean rolled her eyes, "Raphael? We already know he's after us."

"You shouldn't underestimate him," Gabriel warned her, "But no, not him."

"What else could possibly be worse than an Archangel breathing down our necks? What would bring a coward like you out of hiding just to warn a few humans and an angel you claim not to care about?"

"Well, I never said… I mean… this thing…"

A quiet intake of breath from the doorway of the kitchen drew their attention, each of them turning to Sam with varying looks of confusion. He stood stock still, his hand still half raised to run it through his freakishly long hair, his face pale as death. "Gabe?" he asked hoarsely.

"Hey there, Sammoose," the archangel grinned sheepishly, "Long time no see."

"You were…" he shook his head slowly, "Lucifer killed you. He… I saw it… when he was in my head." His gaze turned to Dean and turned accusing. "Dean, you didn't…"

"Of course not! She wanted an easy way out of the war and she found it," she shrugged. "Saw the opportunity to use the two idiots trying to stop the apocalypse to her advantage and took it. Faked her own death and got the hell outta dodge before things went south."

"It wasn't…" Gabriel scowled, "I was honestly trying to help, but Luci…"

Sam drew in a deep breath and leveled her with a serious glare, "You've been alive this whole time?"

The look of betrayal in her brother's eyes confused Dean as she glanced back and forth between him and the angel. She thought she noticed a flash of some sort of emotion in Gabriel's eyes before she met his gaze with a carefree smirk.

"Didn't know I was supposed to check in with you before I went underground. Don't worry, next time I decide to clear out and lay low I'll clear it with you first, Gigantor."

"Don't bother," Sam growled, turning on his heel and stomping his way back up the stairs.

"What's got into him?" Dean demanded, fixing the Archangel with her most intimidating stare.

"Don't ask me," she glowered, flashing away in a huff.

"Cas…" Dean frowned at her angel.

"I noticed it as well," he nodded. "She never mentioned what it was she came to warn us about."

* * *

A soft breeze blew in the open window of the younger Winchester's room as he slept, ruffling his hair and causing him to shiver slightly. The window slowly slid shut with a quiet _click_, bringing a little pleased smirk to the face of the angel perched on the end of the bed frame.

She tilted her head to the side in a decent imitation of her little brother and studied his face curiously. It was not particularly relaxed despite how deeply he currently slept. She wondered if his dreams were unpleasant. Resisting the temptation to simply dive into his mind and find out for herself, she leaned forward and squinted like it would improve her sight. Even in the darkness she could make out the tear tracks on his cheeks, proof that he had been crying recently. Possibly even before he fell asleep.

"Oh Sam," she breathed, "Who are you suffering over?"

He stirred slightly and Gabriel leaned back, suddenly worried she had woken him. His face twisted in agony and he muttered _I'm sorry_ almost inaudibly; she barely caught it, even with her super powered hearing.

"Sam, do you…"

"I'm so sorry… Jess," the Winchester cried out miserably, still sound asleep.

The angel's eyes widened and a laugh escaped her lips, sounding suspiciously hysterical. "Of course," she nodded absently, "You're girlfriend… you would miss her. Of course you would. My _dad, _Gabriel, get it together…" she cursed herself and disappeared.

* * *

Sam was ripped back into consciousness violently, wrenching himself from REM sleep to standing and alert faster than should be humanly possible. He thought he could see a flash of blonde curls before his eyes finished focusing on the empty room before him.

"Gabe?" he called softly, glancing behind him in case the Trickster was, well…

She wasn't there.

"S'mmy?" Dean's voice drifted to him from the doorway, "Ev'rythin' ok?"

He took in his sister's pajamas and the bags under her eyes despite the wide-eyed stare she had trained on him. "I'm fine, Dean," he assured her, "Just nightmares." It wasn't a lie.

Dean studied him for a moment longer and nodded. Love was complicated; nightmares she could understand.


	11. Chapter 11

_"Cas?" Dean called, walking into Bobby's living room balancing a slice of pie on her protruding belly with one hand and holding a glass of lemonade in the other. She glanced around the room and frowned when she discovered it was empty. _

_"I'm sorry, Dean," he sighed, his voice materializing before the angel himself._

_"Sorry for what?" Her heartbeat quickened, somehow predicting his answer before her mind could._

_"I have to leave." _

_She nearly dropped her glass, hands shaking even as her mind raced to think of any other meaning his words could have. His blue eyes locked on hers as he grabbed the plate and glass before she could make a mess and set them on Bobby's desk._

_"For how long?" she finally choked out._

_"My siblings need me." If he noticed her scowl at his deflection he ignored it. "The war between them is getting out of hand and they need a leader. No one would be more capable than myself."_

_She knew he was right, knew they needed him to lead the charge against Raphael, but the knowledge did nothing to stop the burning behind her eyes as she whispered, "How long?" _

_"The war could last for centuries." _

_"Centuries," Dean repeated tonelessly. "Cas, I'm human, I don't have centuries to wait for you to return."_

_"I thought you understood…" The angel stared her down emotionlessly, returned to the Angel of the Lord she had met while the apocalypse still loomed, empty of any humanity he had gained while living amongst them. "I will not be returning. I am not leaving this place… I am leaving you."_

_Dean's breath caught in her throat and she pushed back at the panic rising in her chest. "What about our baby? You said that when a nephilim is created there has to be a bond between the angel and the human for it to… you told me…"_

_Cas offered her nothing more than a blank gaze, "What nephilim?"_

_Terror coursing through her, Dean lowered her head and pressed her hands against her flat stomach, fingers clenching at the fabric of her shirt._

_"We have no child, Dean."_

Dean woke suddenly, panic still clawing its way out of her chest. She searched the room for her angel, finding him sleeping soundly next to her with his arms curled around her hips. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she slowly lowered her eyes to her torso, noting the soft curve where their child was still growing.

Cas muttered something in his sleep and his arms tightened around her, chasing away some of the terror that still plagued her. She took another deep breath and laid back down, curling up against his chest and burying her face in his shoulder as if she could hide there from her fears.

* * *

One week after Gabriel had appeared in Bobby's kitchen everyone was feeling on edge. Sam had been sulking around the house for reasons unexplained, Cas spent most of the time glancing around as if he expected Raphael to pop up in the living room any time, and Dean had started suffering from nightmares which she refused to tell anyone about.

After seven days of the tension, Bobby finally snapped.

"The hell is wrong with you idjits?" he demanded, staring down each of them in turn, "Y'all are actin' like it's the damn apocalypse again!"

"We're not that bad," Dean grumbled, attempting to rest her chin on her knees and giving up when it proved too difficult to reach.

"I'm fine," Sam argued, smile not quite reaching his eyes.

"I don't understand why your concern extends to me," Cas frowned, "Have I been acting strangely?"

"Any more than normal, he means," Dean added helpfully.

"I've been walking on eggshells for a goddamn week trying to keep the place from falling apart," Bobby growled. "You need to get over whatever that sister of yours said to you and trust that we can handle whatever is coming for us like we always do," he directed at the angel, "And you need to tell your angel about those nightmares and how you haven't been sleeping so he can help you," he glared at Dean.

"I'm not…" she protested.

"Is that why you have seemed so exhausted lately?" Cas questioned, interrupting her.

Dean opened and closed her mouth several times before she scowled, "Yeah… I guess."

Sam grinned for a moment before catching Bobby's eye and shrinking under his stare.

"And you… you need to get your head out of your ass and apologize," Bobby ordered.

"Wh… what?" Sam sputtered, "Why should I… I mean who would I…?"

"You know what I mean."

"I don't…"

"Then figure it out. I'll be downstairs," he grumbled, leaving the three to their thoughts.

* * *

Sam sat at the kitchen table absently poking at a salad with his fork. He watched as Dean walked in the room, opened the door to the refrigerator, and stared at its contents with a tortured expression.

"How do you live like this, Sammy?" she asked miserably.

"Salad is good for you," he shrugged, pushing a cherry tomato around his plate rather than eating it.

"So is fruit. Pie has fruit; I don't understand why you people keep complaining."

He let out a small chuckle and tried to ignore Dean's pleased expression at the sound. She grabbed an apple from the crisper and flopped down in the seat across from him, taking a too large bite.

"What?" he asked warily, avoiding her curious stare.

"Wha's up with you lately?" she asked through another mouthful of apple, "Seem kinda down."

"I told Bobby, I'm fine," he frowned, stabbing the tomato a little too forcefully and waving it around as he spoke, "There's nothing for you to be concerned about. Just worry about you, Cas, and little…" He paused, his frown deepening as he pointed at her midsection with his fork, "What are you naming her anyway?"

"Fine my ass," Dean argued, ignoring his attempt at a distraction. "You've been walking around here moping like someone stole your puppy. I know I'm not the greatest at all the touchy-feely sharing crap, but you know I'm here for you if you wanna talk, right?"

"Yeah, I know, Dean," he nodded, offering her a half-hearted smile. "I'm just trying to figure out what I'm feeling right now and… are you even listening?"

Dean ripped her gaze from the kitchen counter and forced a grin. "Yeah, yeah, I just… does something feel… off to you?"

He glanced at the counter and back to his sister, listening for anything out of place. "No… Dean, is something wrong?"

"No, no, its fine. I just… thought I felt something… weird. It's nothing."

Watching her for a moment longer, he shrugged and returned to his salad.

"Anyway, have you seen Cas?" she asked suddenly, drawing his attention again.

"Not for a while now. Why, he missing?"

"What? No. I just… it's nothing," she smiled weakly. "I'm gonna go spend some time with my baby, she's probably feeling neglected." She stood quickly and tossed the core or her apple into the garbage can.

"Yes Dean," he rolled his eyes, "I'm sure your car is feeling lost without you."

* * *

The angel stood before him, hands held out at her sides in a beseeching gesture. "What say you, brother?"

He shook his head slowly, apologetically, "I cannot."

"You would forsake us then?" she demanded, "Leave us to die in a battle of your making?"

"I never asked you to start this war, sister," Cas disagreed. "I support your decision to seek free will, but I shall not act as scapegoat for your failures. A consequence of free will is accepting the outcome, even if it is not that which you desired."

"So you will stand by and watch your brothers and sisters fall?"

"I have caused the deaths of more of my siblings than I care to remember for the sake of humanity and I shall act again should they be threatened."

"By humanity, you mean Dean Winchester…"

"Dean and I do share a more profound bond…"

"Do not belittle me, brother," Rachel scowled, "I know of your attraction to the human. I would warn you of the consequences that follow that particular brand of free will. You know as well as I how Heaven would react to the creation of a nephilim."

"I am aware," he nodded, his expression carefully neutral.

"If you wish to pursue this human, I would think the best place to start would be winning the war that will determine your freedom to do so, would it not?"

"Perhaps," Cas allowed.

"And if we lose this war," she warned, "Where do you think Raphael will turn his attention?"

"To anyone whom he feels has been disloyal or insubordinate to avoid future rebellion."

"Basically _you_, Castiel. And do you think he will be satisfied by your head alone? He will seek out your precious human and smite her where she stands."

"She is the Michael Sword…"

"That doesn't _matter_ anymore!" Rachel argued. "Michael is in the cage with Lucifer and unless you have some brilliant idea of how someone could open the door again that is where he will stay. Being the sword was the only thing truly protecting Dean Winchester from his wrath. Without that…"

"Being the sword never _protected_ her," Cas growled. "Michael would have taken her body and burned out her mind, discarding her soul in Heaven when he saw fit. The only things standing between Dean and certain death have always been the strength of her will and her family."

"And do you count yourself among them?" she asked, voice softer, curious. "Do you deem yourself a Winchester?"

Cas squared his shoulders, puffing up his wings as the light of his grace shone through his eyes, the whole effect meant for intimidation. "If they would have me," he spoke slowly, deliberately, "I would proudly carry the name Winchester."

"And if you care so deeply for these humans, do you not wish to protect them with everything you have? If you would abandon the Host and call them family should you not protect them with every bit of determination you once extended to those brothers you deserted?"

"I shall always guard the Winchesters with my life," he agreed.

"Then join us, Castiel," Rachel pleaded, "Help us to overthrow Raphael and allow every angel to live practicing free will as you have. Lend us your strength and we shall watch over Dean Winchester. No harm shall come to her so long as you stand with us."

The light of his grace faded and Cas lowered his wings, regarding his sister carefully as though considering. She took the opportunity.

"Castiel, will you join the war? Will you lead us into battle for free will?"

Cas closed his eyes for a moment and breathed out, "I will…"


	12. Chapter 12

Sam sat at Bobby's desk, attempting to coax the man's dusty old dinosaur of a computer back to life. The thing was probably beyond saving but Bobby refused to buy a newer one, so he had spent the better part of an hour wrestling with the machine as stubborn as the man who owned it.

"There," he muttered, sliding the last part back into place and reaching for his screwdriver.

He didn't find it.

Searching the desk and floor around him, he sighed in frustration as he realized where it had gotten to. Not long after he had started working one of Bobby's phones rang and he had gone to answer it, screwdriver in hand.

Moving to slide his chair out, he paused when his hand landed on the plastic handle of his screwdriver. The screwdriver that he could have sworn was not there a moment ago.

Strange.

* * *

Cas opened his eyes and blinked. "Not…" he finished, glancing around the tiny bedroom.

"Not what?" Dean asked, her annoyance leaking into her tone. She stood in front of him, her hands on her hips and mouth turned down into an irritated pout. "Where have you been?"

"Did you do this?" he asked in awe. "Were you the one who summoned me here?" He searched the room for any signs of the materials needed to summon an angel and was unsurprised when he did not see them. He had not felt the familiar tug that preceded the forced relocation.

"I was," Dean nodded, attempting to not smile.

"How?"

"Not sure," she shrugged, expression hardening again. "Don't try to change the subject."

"I received a prayer from one of my sisters…"

"Rachel," Dean supplied.

"How did you…" he trailed off at her glare and sighed. "Yes, she wanted to discuss the war with me."

"She wanted you to join them," Dean scowled.

"Yes."

"So?"

Cas squinted and frowned, tilting his head to the side. "So… what?"

"So, what did you say to her?" Dean rolled her eyes.

"I was going to tell her no."

"Why didn't you?" Dean asked, voice going soft. "Are you planning to…"

"I was attempting to answer her when you brought me here," Cas scolded her gently, no venom in his tone.

Dean's head snapped up, her mouth falling open in surprise. "Oh, is that… I see," she muttered to herself. "I guess that's alright then."

"Dean," Cas rested a hand against her cheek, "Does this have anything to do with the nightmares you refuse to tell me about?"

Guilt flashed in her eyes and she pulled away, expelling a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. "It's not… I mean…"

"Dean…"

"Yeah, Cas, it does." She shifted uncomfortably.

"Will you tell me about them now?"

Dean stared over his shoulder rather than meet his gaze, blinking at the shadow on the wall behind him. She studied it carefully, realizing that it wasn't on the wall, but actually hanging in the air behind him.

"Dean"

"Yeah, yeah," she grinned weakly, "So… they're mostly the two of us, living at Bobby's…"

"And?"

"And no one will let me have any pie."

"Dean," Cas sighed, pinning her with his gaze. "The truth."

"Why does it matter?" Dean huffed, staring at the shadows hanging behind him.

"Because I could help you."

"What? Zap the bad dreams away? So do it if you want. I don't see why me telling you about them…"

"Because I won't always be here," he growled. "You could be suffering and I won't be there to "zap" the dreams away as you say. If you tell me what the dreams are about I might be able to help alleviate your fears."

"I know that!" Dean hissed. "You think I don't know that you are an _angel?_ That there is another damn _war _going on right now and that half of your siblings expect you to be a part of it and the other half want to kill you for your part in starting it? And if they were to find out about us, about our daughter, they'll kill her too." Dean's voice broke, tears welling up in her eyes and she rubbed at them furiously. "Damn hormones…" she muttered.

"Is that what…"

"Yeah," she laughed humorlessly, "They're all about you, and us. You leaving, you dying, our daughter never existing, me not being good enough for either of you…"

"Dammit Dean," Cas growled, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her to his chest, rougher than he intended. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"In case you listened to me," Dean mumbled into his shirt, "If you thought about it and realized the dreams were right."

"Dean, I will not leave you," he promised, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "Not for the war, not for my siblings, not for Heaven itself."

"Even if I'm a fuck-up?"

Cas pushed her away slightly to meet her gaze, eyes hard. "Do not speak about the human I love and mother of my child that way," he warned.

The corners of her lips twitched and he broke out into one of his rare, full smiles. "Fair enough."

* * *

"What do you mean it..." Bobby growled into the phone, "You did _what_?"

"Hunting problems?" Sam called from the living room.

"Dammit Garth, hold on. Let me look before you get yourself killed." The older hunter slammed the phone down on its receiver and lifted his trucker cap from his head to run a hand through his hair. "That idjit has got himself in deep down in Louisiana with something I ain't ever heard of before. If we can't find anything in the books I may have to send you down for support."

"What were the…" _Crash._

"The hell was that?"

"This pile of books," Sam answered as Bobby appeared in the doorway. "While we were talking they just… fell."

Crossing the living room, Bobby lifted one of the fallen books and examined the page it had opened to. "Well, ain't this handy," he muttered.

"What you were looking for?"

"Exactly."

"That's kinda suspicious," Dean offered from the top of the staircase.

"What do you know," Sam teased, "Could be a coincidence."

"More than you, bitch," she sneered, skipping down the stairs two at a time. "And no, it really couldn't."

"What makes you say that?" Bobby interrupted Sam's retort.

"Because there is something behind Sam."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Due to technical difficulties this chapter posted as chapter 12 instead of the actual chapter 12. Sorry if it seemed like there was a weird jump!**

* * *

Sam froze and turned his head slowly, glancing over his shoulder.

"Dean, do you see somethin' we can't?" Bobby asked, hand resting on a salt round shot gun.

"I can't really see it," Dean hedged, "More like I know it's there. I can feel it… the energy it throws off, and I can see something sort of shimmery…" She wiggled her fingers at her brother as if it would explain the thing flickering in and out of sight.

"Do I shoot it?"

Sam grimaced and shook his head quickly. "We don't know what it is or if that will only piss it off. I don't really feel like I'm in any danger right now. If you shoot it that may change and I can't see it to get out of the way."

"Where's your angel?" Bobby directed at Dean, "Maybe he could tell us what this thing is."

"With his sister," she shrugged, offering them a guilty look and pointedly ignoring Sam's flinch. "Rachel… he's clearing up a misunderstanding."

"Well, tell him to wrap it up and get his feathery ass down here so we can figure this out."

Dean sighed and clapped her hands together, closing her eyes for good measure. "Castiel, who art royally pissing off his sister about now, we need your help. There's something here…"

Before she could finish her prayer Cas appeared in front of her, angel blade at the ready and trench coat fluttering behind him. His eyes scanned the room before they landed on Dean, assessing her for any injuries.

"Cas?" she asked, cheeks turning pink under his scrutiny.

"What is it?" he frowned, "What's here?"

Dean's mouth hung open for a moment and she nodded towards Sam, "It's just there, behind…" She paused and glanced over her brother's shoulder and noticed the shimmery presence was gone. "Well, it was anyway…"

"What did you see?" he asked, deflating.

"Something was there, but it was like it was just out of focus. It felt like it was barely outside my range of vision, like it was supposed to be invisible but wasn't for some reason."

"I will look for anything outside of the house," Cas assured her. "Sam, keep her safe."

Sam nodded, ignoring Dean's eye roll, and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. "Maybe you're just crazy," he grinned.

"Maybe I'll take you out at the knees, make you more human-sized," she smirked back.

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" Rachel fumed, tawny wings flared up behind her.

"Sister, I do apologize for the misunderstanding but…"

"Castiel, you have always been a little strange, but abandoning us for a human," she sighed. "I guess there is no greater example of free will."

"I am glad you understand."

She offered him a small smile and stretched out her wings to take flight. "Look after that human of yours," she warned him, "Raphael still calls for her head as well."

"I will protect her," Cas assured her.

"If it wasn't for the Winchester you may have never disobeyed and we would still be blindly following orders. We will do what we can as well. We owe her that much."

"Thank you."

Rachel nodded once and took flight, disappearing in a few flaps of her wings.

_Cas_

He frowned, listening silently for the sound of Dean's prayer. She rarely prayed anymore now that they were together so often. He had missed the soft whisper of her voice in his ear.

_There's something here._

His entire being snapped to attention, back ramrod straight and wings quivering. He could hear the words she spoke aloud, but it was what she whispered in the confines of her mind that worried him. The little messages meant only for him. The only fear Dean Winchester openly showed.

_Cas, I can't see it. There's something there… behind Sammy. I don't know what it is or how to fight it. I can't see it but I know it's there. It keeps shimmering, it… I think it's an angel._

Cas was flying before he could begin to process anything. All he knew was the slight tremor in Dean's mental voice, the fear she refused to allow anyone to see. And her best guess as to what the threat might be. One of his siblings. Friend or foe, she might be in danger.

He landed in Bobby's living room, his expression as fierce as an avenging angel, eyes glowing with the light of his grace. His eyes raked over Dean's figure, assessing her for any injuries.

"Cas?" Dean asked, her cheeks turning pink under his scrutiny.

"What is it?" he demanded, "What's here?" Glancing around the room, his eyes fell on Gabriel standing just behind the younger Winchester. Her eyes were wide and pleading as she spread her golden wings and disappeared from the room.

Dean's mouth hung open for a moment and she nodded towards Sam, "It's just there, behind…" She paused and glanced over her brother's shoulder, "Well, it was anyway…"

"What did you see?" he asked, shoulders relaxing.

"Something was there, but it was like it was just out of focus. It felt like it was barely outside my range of vision, like it was supposed to be invisible but wasn't for some reason." Her face twisted into a confused grimace and Cas offered her a reassuring smile.

"I will look for anything outside of the house," placated her. "Sam, keep her safe."

He was gone before Sam could respond, standing outside of the house invisible to the human eye. Running a hand through his hair tiredly, he scowled at his sister.

"Hey there, Castiel!" She grinned weakly, lounging on the hood of the Impala.

"Dean would not appreciate you doing that to her car," he warned, "It is sacred."

"Always so serious, Cassie," she shook her head but slid off of the car anyway. "Thanks, by the way."

"For?"

"For not ratting me out," she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You could have told Deano that I was there but you didn't, so… thanks."

He nodded solemnly, lips pressed together in a hard line. Regarding her carefully, he noted that the usual spark in her eyes was dimmed, turning them a dull yellow rather than the usual molten gold or the color of sunlight streaming through a glass of whisky. She noticed his staring and her wings drooped behind her.

"Oh, for the love of Dad! What is it?" she groaned.

"How long have you been stalking Sam?"

Gabriel's cheeks turned a bright pink. "I'm not stalking him. Just… making sure he's ok. I pop in every once in a while, alright?"

"I thought the Winchesters weren't your problem…"

"They're not!" she argued, refusing to look at him. "Not anymore."

"What do you mean…" He trailed off under her sharp glare and sighed in defeat. "Fine, but at least answer me this: when you appeared to Dean a week ago you were bringing us a warning, what was it? Another angel?"

The archangel's wings quivered behind her as she shook her head slowly. "I wasn't kidding when I said there was someone gathering some major mojo around here. The way things are going, Raphy may be the last of your worries."

"Gabriel," Cas pressed, "What are you talking about?"

"Dean"


	14. Chapter 14

"Dean?"

"Mmm?"

"What are you staring at?" Sam frowned, watching his sister stare at the Impala intently.

"Cas," she answered without looking away. "He's talking to the shimmery… whatever it is."

Crossing the living room, he stood next to his sister and followed her gaze out the window. He squinted slightly and turned his head to the side, searching the salvage yard for the angel. "And he would be…"

"Right there," she pointed.

"Dean… I can't see him."

"You can't…"

"I think Cas is invisible to humans right now."

"If I can see Cas and that is an angel too, why can't I…" she paused, several emotions crossing her face before it settled into a carefully neutral expression. "It must not be an angel," she shrugged.

"But you seemed pretty sure that…"

"Nope," she shook her head quickly. "Must be something else." Before he could say anything more she turned on her heel and ran up the stairs as fast as she dared.

"Weird," Sam muttered, casting one last glance out the window.

* * *

"Dean?"

"Dean," Gabriel nodded soberly.

Cas stared at his sister for a moment and sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Sister, if you do not wish to share with me…"

"I'm serious, Castiel!" She crossed her arms and stared him down, "You know I'm right."

"Dean is not a danger to anyone…"

"But she is _in danger_. I guess it isn't so much Dean, but the nephilim that is the problem."

"Sister, archangel or not I would advise you to not refer to my child as a _problem_," he warned dangerously.

"Oh, calm down," she rolled her eyes. "I didn't mean it that way. I just meant it's the grace building up inside of Dean that is growing too powerful."

"Our child is hardly the first nephilim in existence," he argued. "This is no different from the others."

"Really, Cas? You were around for the last few nephilim births, don't you remember anything about the humans who had them? Did any of them develop angelic abilities?"

"Advanced healing capabilities…"

"Right, and as soon as the kid was born those disappeared too. Do you remember anyone being able to listen in on angel radio? Summon angels at will? Teleport? For dad's sake, she even brought back the dead!"

"Gabriel," Cas squinted suspiciously, "How long have you been stalking Sam?"

"I'm not stalking him! And you completely ignored everything I just said."

"I heard you," he disagreed, "So Dean has developed more control over the grace inside of her, she was intended as the Michael Sword, perhaps she is more in tune with an angel's grace."

"I thought of that," Gabriel sighed, shaking her head. "When an angel takes a human vessel, we compress our grace to fit within the confines of the flesh. For the most part, a nephilim's grace is insubstantial and weak at the time of their birth and will never match that of an angel, so there is no need for the control required to restrain it. Your child seems to be something else entirely. She is only five months along and Dean can already do this much borrowing half-formed grace. What happens when Dean reaches nine months?"

"She may be torn apart from the inside before she ever reaches that point." Cas breathed out slowly, a cold shiver of dread sliding down his spine.

"If she did manage to make it that long, there may still be lasting damage. The grace will need more room and will do whatever it takes to find it. When that grace is removed…"

"There may be nothing left."


	15. Chapter 15

_Sam grabbed the Trickster by the front of her jacket and lifted her into the air, her feet dangling a foot off the ground._

_"Jeez, calm down," she smirked, "I was just having a little fun."_

_"You think this is funny?" he growled, "Killing Dean over and over again… is this a game to you?"_

_"One... yes, it is fun, and two... this is so not about killing Dean. This joke is on you, Sam. Watching your sister die every day. Forever."_

_"Bring. Her. Back."_

_"Ohh, I love it when you take charge…"_

_"Look, I'll do anything you want just… help me save Dean."_

_"You don't get it, do you?" she demanded, suddenly angry. Ripping his hands from her jacket and drawing herself up to her vessel's full height, she stared him down. The air crackled with a familiar intensity. "This obsession to save Dean… the way you two keep sacrificing yourselves for each other... nothing good comes out of it. Just blood and pain. Dean's your weakness. The bad guys know it, too. She's gonna be the death of you, Sam. Sometimes you just got to let people go."_

_"I can't. Not her. Just… please." Eyes brimming with tears, he met the Trickster's gaze and silently pleaded._

_"Not the puppy… ugh!" she groaned. "Fine, I'll bring her back, but you owe me something in return."_

_"Anything."_

_The Trickster studied him for a moment and nodded slowly. "Then, we'll seal this deal like they do at the crossroads." Standing on her toes, she reached a hand up behind his head and pulled down sharply, forcing their lips together before he could protest. _

_Sam stood frozen for a moment, shocked by the change. Before he could decide to respond she had pulled away and snapped her fingers, changing the scenery around them back into the hotel room he and Dean had been sharing. _

_"Remember Gigantor, you agreed. Anything I want."_

_"Any chance you are going to tell me what my payment will be?" he grimaced._

_She turned and studied him thoughtfully, gold eyes sparkling with mischief. "A second date."_

**"Sam!"**

_"So which one are you? Grumpy, Sneezy, or Douchey?" Sam scowled._

_"Gabriel, ok? They call me Gabriel," the Trickster sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat._

_"Gabriel? Like, the archangel? I thought you were supposed to be a dude," Dean squinted suspiciously, a decent impersonation of a certain trench coated angel._

_"I'm an angel, you ass," the archangel rolled her eyes, "I'm a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent. We don't have genders."_

_"So when you showed up and told Mary there was a holy bun in her oven…"_

_"This was my vessel, yeah. Some people took a little, artistic freedom when scribbling down their visions. Just ask Chuck."_

**"Sammy!"**

_"You lied to me."_

_"I know."_

_"Not just about your name. You lied about who you are."_

_"I know." _

_"Is there anything else I should know about?"_

_"Probably lots of things, Sam," Gabriel scowled, throwing her hands in the air. _

_"And what the hell was all that anyway? Play your roles? Do you really want me to say yes to your brother? To Lucifer?" Sam demanded._

_"No! I don't know! Why don't you ask Ruby what she thinks? You two seem so close lately."_

_"Is that what this is about? Being jealous over Ruby?"_

_"She's a demon, Sam. There's nothing to be jealous about."_

_"Except that she's been spending time with me," he concluded. "Maybe I wouldn't spend so much time with her if you would actually agree to help us. Until then I have to stick with Ruby, demon or not."_

_"Do you know what you're asking me?" she asked, voice trembling slightly, "To stand up to my brothers. To kill them. What would you do if it was Dean?" _

_"I'd talk with her, try and get her to let it go."_

_"And if she refused?"_

_"I'd kill her and make sure I went down too," he answered honestly._

_"See what I mean? You two are so Mikey and Luce it makes me sick."_

_"Sorry I disgust you so much!"_

_"Maybe I wouldn't be so disgusted if you weren't sticking your tongue down the demon bitch's throat in your spare time!" _

_"At least Ruby gives a damn about me enough to try and stop the apocalypse! Can't say the same for you!"_

_"Maybe you're right! Maybe I don't care about you enough! I'm selfish and I always have been! No sense caring about someone now when the world is about to end!"_

**"Earth to Sammy!"**

_"Do you see now?" Lucifer asked with his voice, "How pointless this little game of yours was. From the beginning you never stood a chance against us, against your destiny. This was always how it would end."_

_"You're wrong," Sam insisted, struggling against the weight of the archangel holding him down, a captive in his own flesh. "Dean will never say it."_

_"Dean? Old news I'm afraid," Lucifer shrugged with his shoulders. "Mikey's found a new vessel. A strapping young lad… Adam, I think. This fight is happening and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. Castiel can't compare to the strength of two archangels and Dean is only human. Ruby's dead, not that you care, and was out to free me from the start. You've got no one left."_

_Sam struggled against the angel's grasp and thought desperately of anyone who might save him._

_"What was that? Gabriel?" Lucifer hissed. "I almost forgot about her. You humans and your little games corrupted my sister, as if Castiel weren't bad enough. I was forced to kill her because of you."_

_Sam stopped struggling and grew silent, ice flooding his veins and freezing his mind. Gabriel couldn't be dead, she had finally agreed to help because of him. Besides, he hadn't even had a chance to apologize yet._

_"Oh, she's dead," Lucifer sighed, "Ran her through with an angel blade myself." _

_He replayed the event in Sam's mind, giving the hunter a front row seat to her demise over and over. Sam watched as the devil stabbed a blade into her heart, her eyes widening in pain, Lucifer lowering her to the floor as the life left her eyes with the light of her grace, the floor blackened in the shape of her wings._

"Sammy, wake up!" Dean practically shouted, kicking the bottom of his chair angrily.

"What?" he demanded, lifting his head and removing the paper that stuck to his face.

"Dude, I've been trying to wake you up for the past ten minutes. I thought you were dead."

"I'm not," he assured her, "So, what do you want?"

"You kept moaning like you were in pain," she shrugged. "Thought I should wake you up from whatever nightmare you were having. Let me guess… wendigo?"

"No, just… remembering things."

"Mmm," Dean nodded, looking like she wanted to say more.

"What is it?" Sam sighed, knowing he would regret asking.

"It's just… you and Gabe. What's going on there?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on, Sammy, I'm not blind. No one freaks out that badly when they see someone unless something went down between them at some point."

"Dean, I thought she was dead! Seems like a pretty good reason to freak out to me."

"Dead people show up around us all the time," she rolled her eyes, "Don't lie to me."

"There's nothing to lie about…"

"Gabe is the dick with wings who killed me over and over, trapped us in TV land, and only turned good at the last moment before being supposedly ganked by her brother. Excuse me if that doesn't sound like someone I would look at like the last slice of pie appeared in the fridge after I thought someone else had already ate it."

"I didn't…"

"Sam, you looked at her like you looked at Jess when I brought her back," Dean told him softly, studying the carpet before her as if it could answer her questions. "If you feel that way about her, it's ok… I won't be mad or anything. I just…"

"Dean, it's not… we did have…. a _thing_, ok? But it's over now. I screwed up and she will never forgive me, but I'm ok with it. I spent the last year thinking her death was my fault. She's alive, anything else I can deal with."

"That's not… that's stupid!" Dean argued, finally looking up at him, "What could you have possibly done that was so bad that…"

"Ruby."

Dean's face paled and she nodded slowly. "Little brother, you screwed up big."


	16. Chapter 16

Gabriel stood in the middle of Bobby Singer's salvage yard battling herself. Castiel had flown off to look for a solution to the expanding grace inside of Dean, leaving her to her thoughts. She turned her back on the aging home, spreading her wings and preparing herself to leave for good. She had spent too much time mourning Sam Winchester.

"Gabriel," a voice called out behind her, "Don't you dare leave."

She took a moment to imagine that the voice asking her to stay was much deeper, pretending it was the Winchester she wanted to hear it from. Instead, when she turned she was greeted by the sight of Dean Winchester staring her down. Hands on her hips, Dean glared at her until she lowered her wings. "How can you see me?" she asked tiredly.

"Don't know," the Winchester answered, "Couldn't at first but I could see Cas. You looked kinda… blurry I guess, but it cleared up."

"You shouldn't be trying to use the grace. You're still human."

"If it keeps Cas safe," she shrugged.

"And what about you? What if something were to happen to you because of all of this? Do you think Cassie would be able to live with himself?"

"Me? Looks like you're the one who's leaving."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Gabriel scoffed.

"Seems like you've got a lot of advice for someone who is giving up. I know about you and Sam."

"It's not giving up if there is nothing left to have," she rolled her eyes.

"So you come back just long enough to let him know you aren't dead and now you're leaving again?"

"He doesn't have to feel guilty anymore."

"How kind of you," Dean sneered, "So now he can move on to someone else right? Ruby's dead, he's reconciled with himself over Jess' death, and now he can't blame himself for yours, looks like he can pack up his baggage and move on to a healthy relationship with some human girl."

"That sounds about right," Gabe nodded, ignoring the burning behind her eyes.

"Bullshit!" Dean shook her head angrily.

"Whether you want to believe me or not, Sam and I were never that close…"

"It destroyed him when he thought you were dead…"

"He was just beating himself up because he had finally convinced me to help…"

"He loved you…"

"He went crawling to Ruby the moment he realized I wouldn't help him fight my brothers…"

"Lucifer used your death to torture him!" Dean shouted, her voice echoing off the rusted cars around them.

Gabriel paused, her face pale. "Of course he did," she nodded slowly, "How better to torture someone than by replaying the death of the person he thinks he's killed."

"He told me everything, you know," Dean pressed. "How he dreams about someone burning on the ceiling. He screams Jess' name until he realizes that it's you."

"You're lying."

"He's afraid, you know. Said he's never loved someone like you since Jess died but he thinks he doesn't deserve you. And why would he? You're an archangel after all, he's just the boy with the demon blood…"

"Stop," Gabriel warned, "I know what you're doing."

"What?" Dean asked, eyes wide and innocent, "I'm not doing anything."

"Let me go."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Gabriel's wings strained against her back, attempting to spread out and failing. Dean grinned at her, the barest hint of concentration lining her features. "I'm leaving, Winchester, there's no use trying to stop me. Like you said, archangel."

The smirk fell from Dean's face as the angel fought against her hold.

Gabe's wings ached from the strain and her anger flared. "Dean Winchester, you will release me!"

A bead of sweat formed on Dean's brow. "Not until you talk to Sammy!"

Her response broke her concentration and Gabriel seized the moment. Her wings snapped open to their full span and in the space of a blink she had disappeared.


	17. Chapter 17

"So, find anything yet?"

"I've been asking anyone I felt I could trust and looking everywhere I can think of. I've yet to find anything of note. Do you have any suggestions?" Cas glanced at his sister hopefully.

"Not a one," Gabriel shrugged. "If I had any I would have told you when I brought it to your attention."

"Are you truly leaving then?" he asked softly.

Gabriel grimaced and looked away. "Yeah, not much point in sticking around now that you know everything."

"You won't try? Not even for his sake?"

"Is it really fair of you to ask me that?"

"I suppose not," he allowed. "He will be crushed…"

"And Dean will be angry, right? At least pretend it's actually Sam and I you care about, even a little."

"I do care about you. Both of you. And I am concerned about how Dean will react to your abandonment of her brother but that is not my main concern in the issue."

"Gee, thanks…"

"I am simply stating how I view the situation," Cas shrugged. "Sam would be perfectly willing to make it up to you if you would allow it. Perhaps I am too close to the situation to judge it correctly, but I can't help but wonder if giving in would be easier on the both of you."

"You're right," Gabriel smirked, "You aren't judging the situation correctly. I let Sam in, I told him everything about who I am and went all in and he left for a demon. Pardon me if I took that the wrong way."

"I'm not asking you to forgive him so easily…"

"Don't bother, I already forgave him a long time ago. It's just… I can't do this anymore. Caring about someone… it's tearing me apart."

"So you will isolate yourself again? Live on the fringe of humanity, gaining pleasure by punishing those you deem deserving as Loki, trickster goddess?"

"I don't see the problem with that. I was happy before Sam Winchester came into my life and I can be happy now that he's waltzed out of it."

"Can you? Will you be able to be content without him?"

"Just because you've settled down and are playing house with your human doesn't mean we all want that, Castiel," she answered, quiet anger radiating from her. "I am an archangel, warrior of Heaven. I do not need a human by my side."

"Then perhaps we two are more different than I had thought," Cas mused. "My mistake."

"You bet your ass," she snapped, spreading her wings and leaving her brother alone in the empty park.

"Sister, if only you could see how wrong you are," he shook his head sadly.

* * *

"So she really isn't coming back?" Dean whispered angrily.

"I am afraid not." Cas sat down on the couch next to Dean, wrapping his arms and wings around her, though she wouldn't be able to see the latter.

"Why is she being so stubborn?" she demanded. "If she would just get over it…"

"What if I had relations with a demon after we had started our relationship?" Cas interrupted. "Would you be able to 'get over it' if I had begun seeing Meg while we were together?"

"Why Meg?"

"Hers is the first name that came to mind," he shrugged.

"But why would she come to mind so quickly?" Dean pressed. "I mean, it should have taken you a bit longer than instantly to think of a demon to sleep around with."

"Dean, you are missing the point entirely…"

"I'm just asking, of all the demons ever, why her?"

"I suppose I find her motivations to be more interesting than the others. Can we please return to the point of the discussion?"

"Sure, whatever," Dean scowled. "So maybe Gabriel has a point with being so mad at Sam, but that's no reason to just fly off and never come back."

"I believe Gabriel will return in her own time," Cas assured her. "She needs to be alone for a while to figure out how she feels about all of this. She may not have been ready to face Sam yet, but her concern for you and our child brought her out of her invisible brooding."

"Concern?" Dean frowned. "Did she finally tell you what the hell she was supposed to be warning us about?"

"Yes, she warned me about your eating habits. Mentioned late night runs to the refrigerator to sneak slices of pie."

"Oh, shut up."

* * *

When Sam learned of Gabriel's absence, he threw himself into caring for Dean and her child. Reading baby books, preparing her healthy meals, and being generally annoying in Dean's opinion. She could see he was distracting himself from dwelling on Gabe for too long so even if he drove her crazy, she did nothing to discourage him.

He continued for weeks until Castiel shared with him what Gabriel had revealed about Dean and the expanding grace inside of her. Throwing himself into the search for a solution, he stopped caring for himself, pausing in his research for only a few hours of sleep.

It was a month and a half before he broke down and prayed.

_"Gabe, I know you're probably going to ignore this, and I deserve it. I made a mistake and I've regretted it ever since. I never cared about Ruby; I was just hurt that you wouldn't help us. I was so afraid for Dean and I was being selfish, asking you to fight your brothers. I never thought about what that would do to you, about what I was really asking for. Instead of dealing with it and talking to you about it… I ran. I let myself be angry with you and went to the first person I could find who offered to help and I'm sorry. I'm so damn angry with myself that I hurt you." _

Opening his eyes slowly, Sam glanced around the room, his brief glimmer of hope burning out at the emptiness around him.


	18. Chapter 18

At eight months, Dean was quite obviously pregnant. She wasn't experiencing morning sickness as badly but had difficulty doing some simple things and needed to pee all the time. She hadn't had a drink since the night she ended up like this and every time she had pie it felt like she was smuggling drugs across the border. That was why her heart was racing now.

She gently slid the pie tin back in the fridge, remaining as quiet as possible. Pausing a moment to reassure herself that she had not been discovered, she made her way back to the counter and sunk her fork into the delicious contraband.

"Dean?" a voice called behind her, deep and hoarse from disuse while he slept. Cas cleared his throat and stared at her, blinking at the early morning sun streaming in the window.

Dean yelped at his sudden appearance, accidentally knocking her plate off of the counter. Sighing in dismay at the mess on the floor, she grabbed a towel and tried to awkwardly squat and clean up the wasted pie.

"I've got it," the angel sighed, crossing the room and pulling her to her feet. He bent over easily, cleaning what she couldn't reach.

"Sorry," she mumbled, staring at her feet. Well, trying to.

"Do not worry about it," he sighed, kissing her gently and dumping the discarded plate and fork into the sink. "It was an accident and also my fault. I did not mean to startle you."

"You didn't," Dean pouted, her cheeks bright red.

"Of course not," he bit back a smile.

"Ugh, it's only six," Sam grumbled, appearing behind them. "Could you please save your overwhelming love for each other until ten?"

"Oh, go for your run already," Dean scowled, "Overly health conscious moose."

"Yeah, yeah," he grinned, ruffling her hair as he walked by.

* * *

"Dean," Cas called as he walked into their shared bedroom.

For better or worse, they had fully moved into Bobby's house. The bedroom's closet was full of Cas and Dean's clothing, most of it bought recently since Dean could no longer fit in any of her old pants. She had forced the angel to buy ordinary clothing, sweats and t-shirts, mostly so that she could borrow them. He hadn't understood why she demanded that he wear a hooded sweatshirt simply so that she could borrow it from him. _It's a human thing,_ she had waved her hand dismissively, effectively ending the conversation.

He found Dean sitting on the edge of their bed, glaring down at the floor as if it had offended her.

"Something wrong?" he asked worriedly, searching the room for anything out of place.

"It isn't funny," she growled, clenching something between her fingers.

"Of course not," he agreed. "What are we not finding funny."

"I can't…" she whispered so softly the angel wasn't sure if he had imagined it.

"You…"

"I can't reach!" she huffed angrily, clenching her teeth with frustration.

Cas crossed the room and sat on his knees before her, concern lining his face. His eyebrows drew together and he took a deep breath. "What are you trying to reach?" he asked softly.

"My feet," she mumbled shyly, holding up a sock for his inspection.

He noticed now that the covers on the bed were wrinkled, as if she had been wiggling around, attempting to reach a bit further down her leg. Keeping his expression carefully neutral, he took the sock from her and slid it onto her foot with ease.

"Thanks," she sighed sadly, wishing for a time when dressing herself wasn't such a challenge.

Cas nodded silently and reached for her other sock. "Dean?" he asked, noticing how her face had paled.

"What are we doing, Cas?" she whispered, biting her bottom lip.

"Putting your socks on…" he tilted his head to the side.

"Not that…" she laughed shakily. "I mean this," she gestured to her stomach. "How the hell are we supposed to look after a kid?"

"I cannot say I am all too familiar with child rearing," he agreed, "But it seems humans tend to have a natural instinct for it. I will do my best to learn from you."

"That's just it," she bit her lip even harder, nearly drawing blood. "I don't know the first thing about kids. What if I screw up? Ruin this kid's life before she has a chance to live it…"

"Dean, you will not…"

"You can't know that!" she argued. "She's already half angel, having me for a mother won't do her any favors."

Cas sat silently, staring at her knees before taking a deep breath. "I understand that her angel blood could be detrimental. I should have foreseen something like this occurring, but I…"

Dean realized what he was thinking and drew in a sharp gasp, "Oh, no, no… Cas, that isn't what I meant." She lifted his chin and twisted her fingers in his dark hair. "I will never regret you," she reassured him, "Never doubt that I love you. It's just… I'm scared, Cas. I have no idea how to be a mother to a human child, let alone someone as special as our daughter. I haven't met her yet, but I know that I love her. I would die for her. I just don't know where to go from here…" She paused and took a shaky breath, "Cas, I'm a hunter. Always have been. I just don't know that I'm cut out for the apple pie life. What will we do? Buy a house and settle down somewhere? That doesn't sound like us."

"I don't see why not," he shrugged. "You had apple pie yesterday."

"That's not what I…" she paused, noticing his lips curling up slightly. "You bastard," she smacked his shoulder playfully.

"Living with you humans for so long has improved my ability to jest," he informed her proudly.

"Yeah, not that much," she rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Dean asked for the third time, attempting to cross her arms.

"Need to know basis…" Sam grinned, turning on the radio in an attempt to appease his sister.

As much as she hated to let Sammy drive the Impala, there was no way she could fit behind the wheel and still reach the pedals. The only alternative was to let her angel drive, and that sure as hell wasn't happening. AC/DC blared through the stereo and she tapped her foot to the beat, refusing to sing along and let her brother win.

"I am uncomfortable not knowing our destination as well," Cas piped up from the back seat.

"You just want me to tell you so Dean will be happy," Sam rolled his eyes.

Dean glanced in the rearview mirror and met the angel's eyes, giving him an almost imperceptible shrug. _It was worth a shot, anyway. _

They sat in silence as Sam drove them to their unknown destination, Dean finally caving and nodding her head along to the music. By the time they reached a town, she was drumming her fingers on the dashboard.

Sam pulled into a mall parking lot and shut off the engine, waiting for the other two to react.

"Really?" Dean squinted at him suspiciously. "You kidnapped us to take us to the mall?"

"Not exactly," Sam snickered, "Look where we are…"

Dean glared at him for a moment before turning her head to examine the store. Big block letters along the side spelled out the name of a children's store.

"I figured you guys would be needing baby stuff pretty soon. You seemed so absorbed in dealing with the whole being pregnant thing that you wouldn't think about what happens when you aren't pregnant anymore."

"Don't be stupid," Dean growled, "Of course I've thought about that."

"So, you were planning a trip to the store to buy diapers and stuff?"

"Duh," she rolled her eyes, hiding her embarrassed blush.

* * *

"What does this mean?" Cas asked softly, holding out a bottle for Dean's inspection.

She read over the label three times before shrugging and shaking her head. "No idea," she whispered.

Sam had taken over the hunt for baby items, chatting with a friendly woman whose help was proving invaluable for the group. She led them around the store, tossing items in their cart as she saw fit. Dean and Cas followed along behind them, holding hands.

They were walking past racks of baby clothes when Cas was pulled to a stop. Dean had suddenly stopped walking, something having caught her attention. He followed her gaze and noticed a tiny lace dress, white as new fallen snow. Dean was mesmerized by the sight.

"Dean," he squeezed her hand gently, "What is it?"

"It's nothing…" she shook her head. "I just…"

Cas picked up one of the dresses and examined it closely. "How do you know what size the child wears?" he asked, holding it up to her stomach.

"You don't," Dean snorted, taking the dress from the angel and pulling him away from the rack. "If something doesn't fit you just wait until she grows into it."

* * *

Sam turned around to explain something to his sister and blinked. She had been there a moment ago, walking hand in hand with her angel and staring wide-eyed at everything they passed. He could tell she was out of her element, but now she was nowhere to be found. "Dean?" he called, backtracking down a few aisles.

He found them standing in the middle of the clothing racks, Dean laughing loudly and Castiel wearing a mock pout. The angel was getting better at making her smile on purpose.

As Sam approached, he noticed that the angel was holding a tiny, tan trench coat. Dean was gasping for air, falling into another fit of giggles.

"How about this?" Cas asked, holding up a plaid button-up shirt.

"Now that is adorable," Dean nodded her approval.

"I thought you said they are expecting a girl," their guide whispered to Sam, eying the cart full of pink.

"They are," he sighed.

* * *

Dean waited in the passenger's seat of the Impala while Cas and Sammy helped a few of the store's employees load their items into Bobby's van. The old hunter had to clean out a few things before the drive and now the vehicle was any manly hunter's worst nightmare: filled to the brim with pink, fluffy things. He didn't seem to mind, only showing concern when Dean had tried to help the men lift the crib into the back.

"You go and sit your tiny ass in that car or so help me…" he threatened.

"Bobby…" she rolled her eyes, turning to the side to show off her figure. "Not exactly tiny anymore."

"All the more reason you shouldn't be tryin' to lift stuff," he growled.

So now she sat, feet up on the dash and humming along to a Kansas song.


	19. Chapter 19

Cas walked into Bobby's kitchen, rubbing a hand across his face. Angels did not require sleep, but he found himself growing accustomed to it, living with humans. He nodded at Sam and Bobby who were pouring over newspapers at the table.

Sam glanced up at the angel and frowned, noticing how tired he looked. He wasn't the only one who had been acting strange lately. "Cas, I think something is wrong with Dean," Sam told the angel. "She has been sleeping more than usual. I mean… five hours is more than usual for Dean normally but…"

"I know," Cas rubbed the back of his neck in a very Dean-like gesture. "And it isn't just that…"

The three men sat in silence for a few moments and Bobby sighed, "Would you care to elaborate on that?"

"She's been… crying out… in her sleep."

"Like she's asking for someone?" Sam pressed.

"As if she is in pain," Cas answered, his face pale. "When she wakes I question her about it, but she tells me that she doesn't remember, that she was probably having a dream."

Footsteps creaked down the stairs and the three of them went silent, watching for Dean to appear. As expected, she half-walked, half-waddled her way into the kitchen, one hand resting on her stomach protectively.

"Dean, you alright?" Bobby asked, masking his worry behind a gruff tone.

"I'm fine, Bobby," she frowned, "Am I interrupting somethin'?"

"No need to scowl at me, girl." He crossed his arms over his chest and searched for signs of distress. She appeared healthy, if a little tired. She opened the freezer and grabbed the carton of ice cream, tucking it under her arm. Walking to the drawers on the other side of the room, she fished out a spoon and glanced up to find the three men staring at her.

"What?" she mumbled, her cheeks turning pink. "I've been this big for a while now, get used to it already."

"Just admiring your pregnancy glow," Sam teased.

"Shut up Sammy," she mumbled, pushing the silverware drawer shut with her hip.

"Sam, I do not see how she is luminescent," Cas disagreed, "Though she always looks beautiful."

"You too," she growled. Stalking out of the kitchen she shouted behind her, "By all means, continue your hushed conversation."

"I don't understand why she is angry," Cas stated, staring after her.

"I don't think she needs a reason," Sam explained.

* * *

Cas opened his eyes, momentarily disoriented as he stared up at the ceiling. The floor beneath him felt hard and cold, and a soreness radiated from his back. It took him a moment to realize that he had been pushed out of bed.

Dean rolled over in her sleep and moaned, curling up into a tight ball. A soft gasp of pain escaped her lips and Cas was instantly at her side.

"Dean," he called, gently shaking her awake.

"Mmm," she groaned, opening her eyes slowly, "Cas?"

"Are you alright?"

She blinked and nodded her head quickly, "Of course, I'm perfectly fine. Why do you ask?"

He gave her a perfect imitation of the Winchester scowl as she winced in pain. "I don't know… perhaps the crying out in your sleep, or the…"

"I got it," she groaned. "Cas, I'm fine. Honest."

"If you are sure," he nodded, crawling back under the covers and wrapping his arms around her.

"Of course I'm sure," she rolled her eyes.

* * *

Dean gasped as the pain racked through her body, making it feel as though she were being turned inside out. It felt a lot like being in hell, she decided. Cas stirred next to her and she tried to remain still while something tried to claw its way out of her. _What if there is something wrong with the kid?_ Her eyes widened in horror and tears streaked down her face. _Not even born yet and I am already a terrible mother. _Another wave of pain washed over her and she let out a small squeak.

"Dean?" Cas mumbled in his sleep, slowly being drawn back into consciousness.

She tried to keep silent, her hands gripping the sheets as the pain slammed into her again. _What the hell is this? _Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself into a sitting position. The effort took more out of her than an entire hunt. Panting from the exertion, she took a moment to rest before the next wave of pain.

Her movement had jostled Cas, who was now sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Panic welled up inside of her at the thought of him seeing her so unable to deal with a bit of pain. She had barely convinced him to go back to sleep the last time. He slowly turned his head in her direction and disappeared from the bed. Dean released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

* * *

Cas stared at the wallpaper in Bobby's living room, wondering how he had ended up on the couch. The fog of sleep left his brain and he remembered a strange sound he had never heard before coming from Dean. He had awoken and tried to find out what was wrong when she sent him away. Before he had appeared on the couch, their eyes had met. Hers were large and round, and terrified.

Standing abruptly, he crossed the room and made his way to the stairs. His foot was hovering over the first step when Dean screamed in agony. "Dean!" he shouted, taking the stairs two at a time to reach her.

Sam was already in front of the door, pounding on it frantically. "Dean, what's wrong?" he shouted to her, "Dean, open the door!"

"What in the sam hell is goin' on out here?" Bobby demanded, emerging from his bedroom fully dressed. "Castiel? Why are you out here?"

"I awoke when I heard some strange noises," Cas explained, "When I tried to find out what ailed her, I was sent downstairs."

"She kicked you out?" Sam asked, disbelievingly.

"Why have you not entered the room?" he asked, "Is there something wrong with the door?"

"Can't get it," Sam wiggled the handle to show him, "I think she mojo'd it shut."

Another scream echoed from the other side of the door and Dean began whimpering in pain. Cas' eyes widened and he pushed Sam out of the way, slamming his shoulder into the door. "Dean, you must allow me to tend to you," he begged, "What is it?"

"Go away Cas," she moaned, ignoring his request.

"Dean, please."

"Leave me alone!" she shouted and the three men found themselves standing in the living room once again.

"She doesn't have enough power to send us any farther than this," Cas realized, "Something is wrong."

"Yeah, thanks," Sam rolled his eyes, "So what are we gonna do about it?"

"You idjits haven't figured it out yet, have you?" Bobby growled.

"Is something in there?" Cas demanded.

"Think about it!" Bobby growled, "How long has Dean been stayin' here?"

"Nearly six months," Cas answered, not understanding.

"And how far along was she when she got here?"

"A little over three," Sam whispered, "She's in labor."

* * *

"Dean, sweetheart," a soothing voice called out to her, "It'll be alright."

"Mom?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"I'm here," her mother smiled, brushing her hair out of her face and wiping the sweat from her forehead with a corner of a blanket.

"Mom, how?"

"You brought me here," her mother explained. "Your subconscious searched for someone you thought could help you and reached out to me."

"Mom, what's happening to me?" she whimpered, "It hurts…"

"The baby is coming," she answered, "Dean, honey, listen to me, you need to let Cas in."

"I can't," she shook her head vigorously. "I don't want him to see me like this. Anyone to see me like this. So weak."

"Asking for help when you need it isn't weakness," her mother disagreed, "You need Cas right now. Let him be there for you."

"No," Dean whispered, feeling another wave of pain rising.

* * *

"We need to get in there," Sam whispered.

"And how do you suppose we do that, genius?" Bobby scowled, "Even Cas can't fly in. She's got us blocked in every way and convincing her sure as hell didn't work."

"Sam, honey, is that you?" a voice asked on the other side of the door.

The three froze, listening intently. "Mom… is that you?" Sam asked softly.

"Yes dear, your sister brought me here."

"Like with Jo and Ellen…"

"Exactly," Mary nodded though her son couldn't see her. "Listen, Dean is in labor and she needs Castiel."

"We know, but there is no way for us to get in."

"You have to," Mary insisted, "Something is wrong, she needs to be in a hospital."

"She can't mom, the baby…"

"I realize that. But Sammy, the baby isn't coming. If we don't help her soon, neither of them will survive this."

Sam felt the blood drain from his face and his hands began to shake. _Dean could die… this could kill her and the child…_

"DEAN!" Cas roared angrily, "You open this door. I don't care whatever idiotic ideas you have in your head that have convinced you that I should remain apart from you during this. You will stop running away from me and LET ME IN!"

The three remained silent for a moment, waiting for a reaction on the other side of the doorway. The doorknob turned and the door opened slightly with a soft _click. _Cas drew in a deep breath, his anger dissipated, and pushed the door open.

Dean sat on their bed, surrounded in blankets, with Mary hovering over her worriedly. Cas met her eyes and noted the pain and fear in them and he vowed he would never allow her to experience such pain again. He crossed the room in three steps, scanning her as he walked.

"Hey, Cas," she whispered softly, her eyes rolling back in her head. He leapt forward and caught her before her head smashed into the headboard behind her.

"What happened?" Sam demanded, following a step behind.

"She is unconscious," Cas answered.

"Isn't that a good thing, for her anyway?"

"No."


	20. Chapter 20

"She's not breathing." Sam stepped closer to his sister, eyes wide with panic. "Cas, she's stopped breathing…"

"I am aware," Castiel huffed, placing his hands on either side of her face. Grace flowed through his fingers, so concentrated that Sam had to shield his eyes or risk permanent damage. The energy flowed over her skin, crackling in tiny lightning bolts of static as her body rejected the influx.

"Castiel, it isn't working," Mary noted calmly, "Perhaps drawing the grace from her…"

"No"

"But there is too much within her for her body to handle it…"

"If I remove it she may die."

"If you don't she certainly will."

Cas grit his teeth and inhaled deeply. _Dean, I'm so sorry. Father, please let this work._

* * *

"Sister, we must withdraw," Inias gazed at Rachel imploringly. "Raphael's power is too great…"

"We cannot simply abandon the battle," she argued, attempting to staunch the bleeding from the gash on her arm. "We have lost so many…"

"If we do not retreat for now I fear we shall loose the war entirely. If we were to regroup, to collect more allies to our cause, it is the only chance we have."

"And where do you suppose we find someone sympathetic to our cause this late in the war?"

"I have heard whispers amongst our brethren of a surge of grace in a place the humans call… South Dakota…"

"And you feel this anomaly may be of use to us? What if it is simply another archangel? Gabriel perhaps finally showing her hand…"

"I don't believe so," Inias shook his head slowly, "It seems whoever is hiding there defeated some of Raphael's guerilla fighters."

"Those four took down an entire garrison alone."

"Not only that, they survived an ambush of…"

"So they are capable," Rachel conceded. "But have they truly chosen a side?"

* * *

_Gabe, please. I know you can hear me. I know you know what is happening. I just… I'm out of time. Out of ideas. We couldn't find a way to save her and now she's dying. I know you probably hate me now, and that's fine, but for Cas, for their daughter… please help her._

Sam was drawn from his silent prayers by a sharp gasp. His head snapped up and he met Dean's gaze, exhaling a breath he'd been holding longer than should be possible. "Dean," he croaked.

Her face twisted as another contraction ripped through her body, a silent scream never passing her lips.

"Dean, breathe," Cas commanded, rubbing circles on her back.

"Yeah, I got it," she panted as the pain subsided. "Breathing, check."

"Do you know why this is causing her such agony?" Cas asked Mary, his eyes never leaving Dean's.

"If I had to guess," Mary considered, "Probably the wings."

"The what?" Sam sputtered, choking on air. "You mean…"

"I would assume the child will have wings, making birth more difficult than that of a human child."

"I think you are right," Cas nodded sagely.

"So what can ya do to help her?" Bobby demanded suddenly, causing Sam to jump.

He had forgotten he was there.

"I could attempt to ease the pain, but her body is rejecting my grace…"

"Could you stop talking like I'm not here?" Dean grimaced through a less intense wave.

"What would you like us to do, sweetheart?" Mary asked gently.

"Be here. Just… don't leave me."


End file.
